Gospel City Church: Recent Episodes
Gospel City Church
Sometimes we want to skip the difficult parts of Scripture, the parts that discuss judgment, warnings, and consequences. But in Amos 7, we see that God’s judgment isn’t random or cruel. It’s the response of a holy God who patiently offers grace, even when His people continue to turn away.This week, we’ll look at how God’s judgement is both just and merciful. We’ll see what happens when people choose not to repent, and how even spiritual leaders, like the prophet Amaziah, are not exempt from God’s truth.
In Amos 6, God warns the rich and powerful people in that day who feel safe and comfortable, ignoring the needs of others around them. Disregarding God's commands and trusting in their wealth or power will not save them.
This Sunday, Kyle, one of our elders, walked us through the weighty words of Amos 5:1-27, where God laments over His people. Though they were outwardly religious, inwardly they had drifted far. They had rejected God’s justice, distorted His worship, and pursued comfort and self-interest over righteousness.God’s judgment was certain—“I will send you into exile” Yet even in His anger, we see His mercy. God still calls His people to return. Not with empty rituals, but with hearts that hate evil, love good, and seek Him God isn’t impressed by performance. What He desires is genuine repentance and justice. As Kyle reminded us, we must not be satisfied with surface-level faith. We must long for the day when “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”. We don’t do this to earn God’s favour—we already have His favour through Christ. Because of Jesus, we are called to live lives of repentance, justice, and wholehearted worship, not to be accepted by God, but because we already are.
God calls His people to attention — not just about judgment but also a call to return before it’s too late. When comfort replaces repentance and religion becomes routine, the Lord reminds us: “Return to Me.”
We’re continuing our series in the book of Amos with a message from chapter 3: Full Send – The Love and Judgment of God.In this chapter, God reminds His people that His judgment comes not from distance or disinterest, but from a deep love and a desire to call them back to Himself.
Shout for joy hallelujah! We sang this in 3 different languages yesterday in worship (plus a little action!)It's always a refreshing time to worship God, and to encourage and be encouraged by fellow believers in church. Our sermon from Amos 2 was also a reminder that we are all sinners worthy of God's judgement. We cannot run or hide from it. Yet if we believe in Christ, we can run to him for safety from God's judgement. Because the blood of Jesus Christ covers our sins.
Today’s message from Amos 1:1–15, by Kyle , one of our elders, reminded us that God roars against sin. His voice is not quiet, and His justice is not asleep. “The Lord roars from Zion” tells us that He sees every injustice, every cruelty, every rebellion and nothing escapes His holy gaze.And while we might like to think the problem is only “out there,” the truth is harder: the problem runs through us. Injustice lives in every human heart. We cannot satisfy God’s wrath because we are part of what’s wrong.But here is the beauty of the gospel. God knew we couldn’t save ourselves, so He came to save us. Jesus took the weight of judgment and bore the fire of God’s wrath we deserved so we could be brought near in mercy. This is why the gospel is such good news: God doesn’t leave us in our guilt - He offers us hope. Through Jesus, the roar of judgment becomes a call to grace.
In Revelation 21, we’re given a breathtaking glimpse of the future: God’s mission fulfilled in full glory. It’s not just a dream; it’s a promise. One day, everything broken will be made new, every place will be restored, and all who thirst will be satisfied in Him.
In Matthew 16, Jesus reveals who He is and His mission on earth — and consequently, what it means to follow Him. Then with striking clarity and purpose, He challenges His followers to step out in mission with Him. God’s mission isn’t just an abstract idea—it is revealed through Jesus, and it calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.
God’s mission doesn’t stop at our borders—it reaches every nation. In Isaiah 66, we see a beautiful picture of people from all over the world bringing their worship as an offering to the Lord. This Sunday, we’ll reflect on how God is gathering the nations to Himself—and how He calls you to be part of that story.
God isn’t distant or hidden. From the pages of Exodus, we see a God who actively reveals Himself to the world. This week, we’ll explore how God made Himself known in Egypt and how He continues to do so today through His people and His mission.
From the very beginning, God’s heart has been missional. He created the world not out of need, but out of overflowing love—to reveal His glory, His goodness, and His beauty. And He made mankind in His image to reflect His character, to steward His creation, and to extend His reign across the earth.Adam’s calling was clear: to fill the earth with people who know, love, and worship God, and to spread the beauty of Eden until every corner of the earth reflected the joy and peace of God’s presence. Though that original vision was shattered by sin, it was never abandoned. In Jesus—the true and better Adam—God has begun His great restoration. Christ calls us to join His mission, to be part of the new humanity, to once again fill the earth with His love, His truth, and His worship.We were not made to drift through life without purpose. We were made to live on mission—to know Him, to love Him, and to make Him known. This is our calling, our joy, and our destiny. Let’s step into the life we were designed for.
Jesus is risen! We celebrated Easter with a full house last Sunday. Kyle preached on the meaning of the ‘resurrection’ — which is, Jesus’ rising to life, and our own rising to life for those who put our faith in him. Having commemorated Good Friday and then Easter Sunday together, we had the opportunity to see and savour together how the Jesus’ death & resurrection redeems all our brokenness and demonstrates deep defining love. Our celebration was made all the sweeter by testimonies of 2 of our beloved covenant partners — Caleb and Denise. We are thankful that the grand story of the gospel is felt in such a close & real way in the lives of our own brothers and sisters.
In Luke 19:28–40, people welcomed Him as King with palm branches and open hearts. But what about us today? Will we receive Him in our own lives—with praise, surrender, and trust?
Covenant partnership is GCC's way of emphasizing meaningful membership and we do this for 3 reasons - for the sake of our individual souls, for the sake of the souls of other covenant partners, and for the sake of our neighbours' souls. By being members of a church that exists locally, we get to encourage one another, stir each other up, and make much of one another in honouring each other. In short, we are able to train ourselves in humility and submission.
In the second installment of our “Essentially, GCC” sermon mini-series, we looked at the role of Elders in GCC.Elders shepherd the flock — by providing guidance and teaching, praying for covenant partners, overseeing the ministry of the church, and modelling repentance, forgiveness & reconciliation.We as a church ought to respond in a posture of humility to God’s design for eldership, taking after Jesus’s own humility.
Last Sunday, Yi Khen, one of our elders, preached the first sermon in our new series Essentially, GCC—a reminder of who we are as a church and what makes us different.Acts 6:1-7 shows us why deacons matter. The early church was growing, but with growth came challenges. Instead of ignoring the needs, the apostles appointed deacons—godly, wise, and mature servants—to ensure the church remained united and the gospel remained central.Service is hard. It requires humility, not for the sake of recognition, but because Jesus Himself knelt first. He redefined what it means to serve, giving His very life for us. As GCC prepares to send out two church-planting teams, we’re reminded that we must first put our own house in order. A church that is divided or distracted will struggle to be a light to the world.May we be a church that serves with joy, unity, and Christlike humility—because He first served us.
What is our mission in life?
Last Sunday, we wrapped up our Romans series by diving into Paul’s final remark, reflecting on the Gospel Mission.
Paul’s life purpose to preach Christ, reaching the unreached, and partnering with fellow believers in his ministry, regardless of gender, race, and social status. Our mission is the same – to make disciples of all nations, to pray and partner with fellow believers who are out in the mission field. As Christians, the gospel is the reason we praise God as we rejoice in the salvation we have received from Him and for the hope we have in Christ. Let’s stay focused on the gospel in our purpose, partnerships, and praise!
We welcomed Rowan to speak at GCC for the first time, opening up Romans 14–15 with us. The key takeaway: our relationships in church ought to be loving & shaped by the Gospel that unites us.
As Paul points out in this passage to the Romans, this means that, when addressing conflicts on disputable matters in church, we shouldn’t condemn but welcome, we shouldn’t stumble another but seek the mutual good, and most of all we should be full of Gospel hope in Jesus’s gift of freedom to us and God’s plan for the unity of the church.
This Sunday, Von, one of our elders brought God’s word from Romans 12:1-21, exhorting us that in light of God’s abundant mercies, our only reasonable response is to live as a living sacrifice—fully devoted to God in worship, service, and love.After journeying through Romans 1-11, we’ve seen the depth of God’s grace. Though we were sinners, Christ died for us. We have been justified by faith, freed from the power of sin, and made alive in Christ. Because of His unfailing love and sovereign mercy, we cannot help but offer our entire lives back to Him. This is true worship—a total, logical, spiritual, and transformational offering of ourselves.This life of worship is not lived in isolation—it compels us to serve the church. Each of us has been gifted by God to play a unique role in the body of Christ. With humility, we are called to serve diligently, embracing unity in diversity and using our gifts to strengthen and encourage one another.But worship doesn’t stop there. We are also called to love our neighbors with a love that is sincere and active. This love extends beyond those closest to us—it reaches even our enemies. Just as God showed us mercy while we were still sinners, we are called to overcome evil with good, reflecting the heart of Christ in all circumstances.In light of all God has done, how can we do anything less? Let our hearts be surrendered, our hands be ready to serve, and our love reflect the mercy we have so freely received.
As a church in the heart of KL, we are passionate about living out our faith in our urban contexts and with the various diverse people we encounter through our work, hobbies, neighbourhoods, and daily errands.So we were blessed indeed by our guest preacher Guna’s encouragement this week to be a ‘City on a Hill’ — seeking the good of this city that we’ve been placed in, while being secure in our identity as children of God & citizens of heaven.
Last Sunday, one of our covenant partner, Chris, preached from Isaiah 40:12-31 which shows us this truth - our God is big, incomparable, and knowable. He holds the universe in His hands, yet He knows us by name. He needs no counsel, no instruction. His wisdom is perfect, His justice unshakable, and His power limitless.
And yet, how often do we turn to things smaller than Him? Our hearts, as John Calvin said, are “idol factories,” constantly making a big deal out of things that can never satisfy.
God has made Himself known to us—not only through His creation but through His Word. He is not distant. He is not silent. He is the God who rules, sustains, and strengthens those who look to Him.
So don’t settle for knowing God from a distance. Draw near. Seek Him. Be in awe of His greatness, rest in His power, and find joy in His presence. Our God is bigger than we can imagine - yet He invites us to know Him. If God alone is this great, this powerful, and this near—why would we ever turn to anything else?
“What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us” ( A.W. Tozer)
What does it mean to proclaim and believe in the name of the Lord? Romans 10 reminds us of the beautiful truth that salvation is not earned by works but is a gift received through faith. When we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved.
This morning we dived into Romans 9 in all its deep doctrinal truth about election which shows us how God is a God of miraculous mercy!God is free to act in any way he chooses, and since he is love, he is always guided by his love in all his actions. This is a great comfort to us, and it is no exception in regards to the doctrine of election. Nothing that God ever does is not loving. Election is based on God's sovereign freedom to extend grace to whom he chooses. As hard as that is for us to comprehend sometimes, we must resist the temptation to think we are a better judge than God.Our God does not function based on a merit system. It magnifies his mercy when we accept Jesus through faith, not through any merit of our own. Election excludes boasting and promotes humility, and it should drive us to mission because it is unconditional - not contingent on family lineage, good works or anything but faith in Jesus alone.The takeaway today is this - God glorifies himself through unconditionally electing a people and this should propel us to worship and mission!
In the first half of Romans 8, Paul talks about what it means to live by the Spirit. Now, we look at the second half of Romans 8, where the Paul gives us assurance that we can live boldly.We are to:1. look through the lens of hope and focus on God's future glory as the glory of the future outweighs the present suffering.2. understand that in God's sovereign plan, He will work everything for the good of those whom He calls His children.3. be convicted that nothing can separate us from God's steadfast love that gives us confidence to live boldly.
Happy New Year! We are launching into 2025 by returning to our series on the powerful message to the Romans.The message in Romans (called the “gospel”) is the heart of the Christian faith. It is a message for everyone — whatever their background, history or personality — telling us of the gift of freedom & friendship & belonging with God, through his Son Jesus.
As we enter a new year, many of us still carry the same old anxieties. In Matthew 6:19-35, God invites us to examine our lives: What treasure are we chasing? Who are we serving? And where is our trust anchored? This morning, Jason, one of our covenant partners, shared insights from this passage.
What treasures drive us? Is it money? Comfort? Approval? Earthly treasures only hold power because we give them weight. But Jesus offers something far greater—eternal treasure in Him. To honor others in Christ, to suffer for His name, and to serve Him faithfully—these are treasures that will outlast this world.
Who do we serve? Ourselves or God? If God feels distant, it’s time to reset. It’s time to let go of fleeting pursuits and fix our priorities on what truly matters: the eternal hope we have in Christ.
And why can we trust Him? Because He knows our needs and cares for us deeply. Anxiety grips us when we pin our hopes on things we can’t control. But true freedom is found in trusting Jesus—the One who suffered for us, rose in victory, and holds all authority.
One day, we’ll stand before Him, and none of us will say, “I wish I had sacrificed less for You.” Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, our greatest treasure, and live not for the fleeting years on this earth but for the eternal joy found in Him. This year, leave behind the anxieties that weigh us down and pursue Him with everything we have. He is worth it all.
What brings you comfort? Could it be your favourite food or someone you love? Or even a place of familiarity? Isaiah 40 brings a message of comfort in the midst of hopelessness, where he talks about God, who has pardoned the sins of His people. God, in the form of flesh, will come to dwell amongst His people and will ultimately bring an end to all troubles brought by sin. The same God whose words are final, reliable and trustworthy. He has never fail and He never will. A God who is almighty and powerful, yet compassionate to His poeple. In a world of ruthless leaders, He befriends outcasts, touches the untouchable, heals the sick, casts out demons, calms the storms, and raises the dead.This Christmas, as we take comfort that Jesus has already come and died for our pardon, we also take the comfort in knowing that He will come again.
The prevailing story of humanity over all of history is this - we think that we are qualified to solve our problems. But history and our own lives testify to the fact that we don't have the power to make the lasting changes we long for. However, there is a King who was promised to us long ago in Isaiah 11:1-10. This king is Jesus, whom we eagerly anticipate this Advent season. Jesus is perfectly qualified to carry out unswerving justice. Jesus is the king who cannot be swayed by anyone or bought by anything. And Jesus gives us hope because he will fully restore all creation and the effects of sin will be no more. And we can look to this future and know we are a part of it because Jesus's righteousness qualifies us for that future when we put our faith in him. Are you fighting battles you can never seem to win? Take heart because you are not alone in this world. God never leaves his people in hopelessness. Christmas is God reaching down to us to give us a hope that shapes the way we live today, in light of eternity. His justice and restoration will prevail, overcoming the injustice and sin of the world.
In the midst of darkness and turmoil, a promise of peace shines through. Isaiah 9:1-7 foretells the coming of a Savior — the Prince of Peace — who brings light, joy, and eternal peace to a weary world.
What's the best news you've ever heard?Last Sunday, we kickstarted our Christmas-themed Isaiah series and saw how in a time of darkness, King Ahaz had his hope completely misplaced. Likewise, we live in a dark world where people place their hopes in things that are not secure.But Isaiah tells of a hope so sure and steadfast, one that we can all look forward to. He is Jesus, who is called Immanuel — meaning, God with us. Isaiah calls on Israel in the Old Testament to prepare their hearts for the coming of this ultimate hope. This Advent, we look forward in hope to the second coming of Immanuel — Jesus Christ — who is the light of this dark world. As we sang during worship last Sunday:O come, all you unfaithfulCome, weak and unstableCome, know you are not aloneO come, barren and waiting onesWeary of praying, comeSee what your God has doneChrist is born, Christ is bornChrist is born for youO come, bitter and brokenCome with fears unspokenCome, taste of His perfect loveO come, guilty and hiding onesThere is no need to runSee what your God has doneChrist is born, Christ is bornChrist is born for youAnd that, my friends, is the greatest news of all.
Chris takes us through a deeply relatable passage of Romans 7:7-25, where the Apostle Paul lays bare the inner conflict of every believer. It’s a tension we all know too well—the struggle between the old, sinful nature and the new life we have in Christ.Paul reminds us first that the Law is good. It’s not the source of sin; rather, it reveals sin. Like a mirror, the Law shows us where we fall short, exposing the depths of our brokenness. Without the Law, we wouldn’t even recognize the true extent of sin in our hearts. Then comes the hard truth: sin brings death. Even though the Law reveals God’s holiness and guides us toward righteousness, our sinful nature twists it into rebellion. Paul vividly describes the battle within—a war waging between his desire to do good and the sinful tendencies that so often win out. “What I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” It’s a cry of frustration that resonates with all of us.But Paul doesn’t leave us there in despair. He points us to the solution, and here’s the hope we cling to as Christians: we desire deliverance, and it comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. As we take a break for Christmas in our study of Romans, this message feels particularly fitting. The struggles of Romans 7 point us directly to the joy of the season—the coming of our Deliverer. Jesus entered our world not to condemn us for our sin but to rescue us from its grip. His birth is the beginning of our freedom, and His life, death, and resurrection are the fulfillment of the deliverance we long for.So, as we prepare our hearts for Christmas, let us remember this truth: while the struggle between death and life is real, the victory has already been won. Christ has come, and He has set us free.
Anyone of us who have tried to keep any rule or law know how impossible it is to attain perfect obedience. In Romans 7, we see that as Christians, we have been freed from the law's ruling power through our union in Christ. What a comfort that is for us! Law keeping is no longer the grounds for us being accepted by God. Instead, we are freed to be able to serve in a new way - by the Spirit. We are not motivated by fear but by a desire to bear fruit for God who has saved us. Join us next week as we continue in Romans 7 and look deeper into the purpose of the law!
Through the good news of Jesus, we find a new master, a new freedom, and a new reward.For all the brokenness & shame we have felt in our lives, and all the things we have treasured which have failed us — we can trade all of these for a new master and a new freedom through Jesus. Because of his grace, our hearts can be transformed toward willing & joyful obedience to God’s will. And the best part? Our obedience is not out of captivity to condemnation & fear. Instead, we securely hold the free gift of eternal life as a reward won by Jesus Christ, regardless of our failures. And this brings us true freedom.
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to live a new life? Are we called to stay the same, or is there a transformation available to us?Yi Khen, one of our elders, preached the life-changing truth in Romans 6:1-14 - that through Christ, we’ve been buried with Him in death and freed from our old selves and the power of sin.But that’s not the end; we’re also raised to new life, called to live in a way that no longer tolerates sin but seeks to grow in Christlikeness.As we walk in this new life, we’re invited to serve a new Master and a new purpose, showing the world what it means to live as truly free people in Jesus.May we go forward encouraged and ready to live fully in this freedom, choosing daily to walk in righteousness and reflect Christ’s love.
On average, 150,000 people pass away every day around the world. Is that really the end? Is there more to life than this?On Sunday, we looked into Romans 5:12-21 to explore these questions and uncover what the Bible says about life, death, and the hope we have through Christ. Chris reminded us about the convicting truths about the gospel of forgiveness & justification in Romans 5 — the truth in which we place our faith.
Happy birthday, Gospel City Church! Last Sunday, we celebrated our 7th anniversary as a church family. We had a gorgeous chocolate cake baked by our very own Melissa, and a testimony shared by one of our founding members Nick, recounting God’s faithfulness to our church.Yi Khen’s sermon on Justification by Faith (Romans 5:1–11) was indeed fitting for the occasion too. Through the preaching, we were prompted to reflect on the privileges we receive in Christ — especially, peace with God; hope of glory; and the depth of God’s love. This gospel unites us, so that we sing with joy as a family.
In today’s message, we explored the deep questions of suffering—Why me? Why this pain? How long will it last?
Psalm 22:1-2 reminds us that it’s okay to cry out to God in our suffering, just as David did and as Jesus did on the cross. Our cries are welcomed by God.
Suffering is not random and it’s part of living in a broken world. But even in the midst of our pain, we find hope in God’s eternal promises. Though we may never fully understand the reasons, we can trust that our suffering is not forever and that God will use it for His glory and our growth.
Most importantly, we are invited to rest in the character of God. Psalm 34:17-18 reminds us that God is near to the brokenhearted, and in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us to find rest in Him, for He is gentle and lowly. Through our suffering, we experience a unique intimacy with our Savior—Jesus, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
As we reflect on today’s sermon, may we continue to cry out to God, trust in His nearness, and rest in His promises.
Today, we began our 3 week mini-series on pain, suffering, and grief with Yi Khen, one of our elders, preaching from John 11:17-44.He reminded us that amidst our sorrow, we must hold on to both tears and truth.The Bible is not silent on suffering. It teaches us that suffering is universal, but it’s not the work of a God who delights in it. Though often incomprehensible, we do not turn away from God in our pain; instead, we acknowledge His sovereignty. Suffering has a purpose—it shapes us, producing endurance, maturity, and genuine faith. Most importantly, suffering will one day end, because death and decay do not have the final word—God does.At the same time, the tears of Jesus dignify our suffering. They remind us that Jesus draws near to us in our pain, weeping with us in our grief. The same Jesus who wept with Mary in John 11 is the same Jesus who will one day wipe away every tear, as He promises in Revelation 7.In Jesus Christ, we have God come down from the highest of heights only to be treated as the lowest of the low. In Jesus Christ, we have one who guarantees that pain and suffering will finally end, yet weeps with us in our present suffering.Come to Him with our tears, and trust His word to anchor us in the midst of suffering.
How comforting to know that God’s promises to us are secure through Jesus. Manhon preached from Romans 4:13–25 last week, reminding us that those who place our faith in Jesus can freely receive God’s promise of eternal life, despite our sinful nature. Through Jesus, we are forgiven & clothed with righteousness — and this was all achieved through Jesus’s death in our place and his resurrection to life.
How are we saved by God? The answer lies in faith in Christ alone—trusting in His sacrifice and His promises, and turning to Him in repentance, not relying on our works or rituals.
This past week, we explored Romans 4:1-12 and learned about saving faith through the example of Abraham. He wasn’t saved by his works but by his faith, showing us that faith in Christ is at the heart of the Christian message. Ceremonies like circumcision and baptism don’t make us right with God—they are outward signs that follow faith, reminding us of the righteousness we receive through Christ, not through rituals. Our spiritual journey mirrors Abraham’s, where deepening trust in God and His promises, fulfilled in Jesus, is key.
How can we be made right with God? This is a question that many religions try to answer. Perhaps you might sense that there is brokenness & wrongness in the human race. How is that to be fixed? How can human beings be made right with our perfect Creator? Our passage last week, Romans 3:21–31, shows us how.
Through the sermon, we were reminded of the message of the Christian faith — that we are made right with God through FAITH and through CHRIST. Putting these together, we see the deeply comforting truth that it is the object of our faith, Christ, that saves us — not even the intensity or clarity of our faith. We may suffer moments of doubt and distress as life goes by, but identifying with Christ as our Saviour makes us right with God.
This past Sunday, Jordan delivered a message from Romans 3:9-20.He reminded us of three powerful truths: What We Are—sinners; What We’re Under—sin’s power and guilt; and What We Need—Jesus, the Savior who justifies us before God.We were confronted with the reality of our condition before God. At our core, we are sinners—fallen and unable to meet God’s perfect standard on our own. The law makes it clear: no one is righteous, not even one. We are all under the power and guilt of sin, regardless of our background, status, or efforts.Yet, this is not where the story ends. Jesus, the Savior, has stepped into our brokenness and offers us justification before God, not based on our works but on His finished work on the cross.So, lay down pride and self-reliance. Embrace the righteousness that comes from God alone. Let’s trust in Christ alone for our righteousness and allow the mirror of the law to lead us to the One who can truly save us.
In the sermon on Romans 3:1–8, we learnt a new term — ‘diatribes’! Chris took us through Paul’s series of questions and answers (diatribes) that he used to address questions that might arise in response to his teaching about the gospel.Paul’s instruction helped us ponder as a church: Do we value God’s Word as much as Paul did? Do we understand & behold God’s sovereignty & faithfulness? Do we hold God’s righteousness in highest regard, without being clouded by our own human definitions?Ultimately, we were reminded that to “put God on trial” is to fail to recognise our unrighteousness and God’s glory. But we as Christians are not treated as our unrighteousness deserves, because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Is this you? Do you have the outward signs of a believer but lack the inner faith?On Sunday, we were confronted with this piercing question by Kyle as he preached through Romans 2:25-29. We were convicted of the truth in this passage which teaches that no amount of knowledge, shame or guilt can change a sinner's heart. Only God's spirit can. As we see and meditate more on the beauty of the gospel, the things that matter more than God in our hearts - our idols - will be revealed to us so that we can turn away from them and turn to Christ.We were also reminded that God has given us the grace we need to obey him. We have the Spirit in us to convict our hearts, to guide and empower us to live lives obedient to God!
“Talk is cheap” — the title of Andy’s sermon this week was apt for the passage: Romans 2:17–24. Like the religious elites that Paul was addressing, we may puff ourselves up by saying all the right things that Christians ”should say” and feeling very secure in our faith as a result.
But do we actually live out our words in our actions? Paul reminds us that acting with hypocrisy is blasphemous and dishonouring to God. Instead, we should seek to live lives that make the gospel look beautiful in our real daily actions, not only in words. This is of course enabled by grace, given to us in Jesus Christ who lived the perfect life in all his actions.
Today, Massimo, one of our covenant partners, delivered a powerful sermon from Romans 2:12-16.
He focused on three key points: no exemption, no excuse, no escape. Massimo reminded us that we all stand accountable before God, with no one exempted from His judgment. There are no excuses for our shortcomings, as God’s truth is evident to all. And ultimately, there is no escape from His perfect justice.
But, there is also hope through Jesus Christ. He has paid it all—His death on the cross satisfies God's perfect justice, offering forgiveness for our sins. Because of His sacrifice, we can experience grace and the freedom to live in His love.
We were back together this Sunday to take a closer look at Romans 2:1-11 with our elder, Man Hon.
In the passage, Paul rebuked those who judge others while they themselves are still sinners. We were reminded that only God is the one true judge for His judgement is always accurate and just, while human judgement is flawed with sin and biasness.
While we are all subject to God's wrath for our sins, Christ has already borne the judgement for us. Therefore, by faith, we are freed from judgement despite our sins, not by our own means, but through Christ.
As we look at the lives around us this week, whether in person, virtually, or even on social media, let us not be quick to pass judgement and think we are better or more righteous than they are. Instead, let us humbly pray for others and reach out to those who have yet to embrace this gift of grace.
On Sunday, Andy took us through the remainder of Romans 1, covering verses 18–32. We learnt how God, and His character, is knowable to everyone through the natural world, and therefore there is no excuse for the sinful ways that we live, in denial of truth.
It was helpful to understand how “exchanging the truth about God for a lie” (v25) plays out in our own lives. Every sin we commit finds its root in a distortion of God’s character; in the same way, Christian living starts with a right understanding of God. Despite our fallenness however, we can hope in the fact that we are saved by the work of Jesus, the innocent sacrifice who died in the place of us, who deserved to die.
This week, we continued our journey through Romans 1:8–17. Yi Khen re-emphasized from his message last week that the gospel is for everyone without exception and distinction.For Christians, the gospel is essential for our growth and sanctification. We are called to use our spiritual gifts to serve one another and build up the church. For those who have yet to believe in Christ, the gospel is the key to being saved, and it is for everyone regardless of background.We were also reminded of the power of the gospel and saw Paul's unwavering confidence in it. He was unashamed and boldly preached the gospel without fear of ridicule.Let us reflect on Paul's example and ask ourselves: Are we ready to be associated with Christ and share His gospel with those around us?
Today we gathered in worship as a church, and continued our study of the first chapter of Romans. In verses 5 - 7, we see how the call to be apostolic is for every Christian - that is, we are all sent out with the message of the gospel. We are called to an apostolic purpose of the obedience of faith that reaches all nations. As believers, despite being called to obedience, we also know that our faith is not maintained by the consistency of our obedience, which is a comforting truth for fallen beings like ourselves.In living out our purpose, we should have the apostolic posture of humility. People can only be reached with the gospel (like we once were) through God's miraculous grace alone, and for the sake of God's name and glory alone. And in all these, we should look within and see if we truly possess the apostolic passion - is our joy and unity with each other evident to the people around us?All these can only happen through humble dependence on Jesus. Yi Khen, our preacher today, echoed John Stott's words as a resounding reminder to us - God's gospel is for everybody without exception and without distinction.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, lead us through Romans 1:1-4. In these verses, Paul introduces himself as a devoted servant and apostle of Christ Jesus, called to be the messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul’s message centers on Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, fulfilling messianic prophecies and being declared the powerful Son of God through His resurrection.Chris also highlighted how the gospel can be shared through these four key verses in Romans:- Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."- Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."- Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."- Romans 10:9: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."It was a powerful reminder of the message of Jesus Christ, and how we too are called to be messengers to share this wonderful message of Christ to others.
This week, we embarked on a new series on the book of Romans, called “The Gospel Unpacked”. Nick, one of our covenant partner, took us on a journey through chapters 1-16, revealing how the Gospel transforms our lives.The Gospel takes us from wrath to righteousness (Chapters 1-4), from hopeless to hopeful (Chapters 5-8), from doubt to trust (Chapters 9-11), and from self-centeredness to God-centeredness (Chapters 12-16). At the heart of this transformation is the beautiful call to obedience through faith.May this study on the book of Romans remind us of the power of the Gospel to change our hearts and lives. Join us as we continue to explore and embrace this life-changing journey.
There is pain and fallenness in our world, and God does not call us to pretend like all is well. We all have tears for all that have gone wrong, for all the pain that we and the world go through. We all long for a home that is free of these. The book of Daniel is essentially a reminder that God is still in control even when his people are still in exile - more than being away from our home country, but experiencing a deep personal existential pain as a part of life. This is all a result of a broken relationship with God due to our sin and rebellion. But for believers, whether it feels like it or not, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ means we are already home with God because the relationship has been restored. Yes, pain and sin still exist, and things can still go wrong. But because of his sovereignty, we can be faithful like Daniel, as we wait for the glorious future where God will take us fully home with him.
In Daniel 10-12, we were reminded to stand firm through the storms of history, holding fast to the promise of resurrection to come. These chapters show us that despite the tumult and trials we face, there is a greater plan at work, one that ends in victory and eternal life. How deeply reassuring this truth is.May we be encouraged that our hope is rooted in the assurance that no matter what challenges we encounter, God's ultimate plan is for our good - in life, we have the strength to endure, and in death, we have the promise of resurrection.Let's stand firm together, trusting in His promises and looking forward to the glorious future He has prepared for us.
What would God’s Kingdom look like if God answered ‘yes’ to all your prayers?
Last Sunday we were encouraged to pray like Daniel prayed in Daniel 9. Faced with civil & political unrest, Daniel pursued truth by reading God’s Word. He then prayed repentance, knowing from the Scriptures that God’s people were in exile due to disobedience. God swiftly answered Daniel’s prayer with gifted insight & understanding about God’s will for the future.
Daniel is a model for us in this busy and restless world — there are so many things to do, so little time to pray, but so much chaos and brokenness to pray about. We left encouraged & challenged to examine our own practice of prayer.
In our lives, we will experience chaos and calamity. We will face opposition and strife. Daniel’s vision in Daniel 8 made this abundantly clear. It was a vision of strife and overpowering — which are accurate of this broken world, in Daniel’s time as in ours.But Daniel’s vision and its interpretation show that God will overcome this chaos and calamity. Opposition will cease, not by any human hand, but by God’s hand. Meanwhile we should stand with confidence at God’s power to overcome. Amidst chaos, we should continue in the tasks to which God has called us in the confidence that he instils in us.At our service, we also had the privilege of affirming & welcoming 8 people into covenant partnership with us. We were blessed by their testimonies of coming to faith in Christ, and we look forward to journeying with them from now on.
This week we'll be looking at Daniel 7, where we see Daniel's vision of the four beasts and what they mean. Daniel was alarmed by his vision, should we be too?
Today, we were encouraged to remain steadfast and faithful in the midst of adversity.
We looked at Daniel in chapter 6, and saw how he remained faithful to God, whether he was in the tranquility of his room or in a lion’s den. Why? Because he believe in a living God who reigns over all kings and nations, and who is able to save. Our God is our Rock and Redeemer, the strong defender of our weary hearts.We also celebrated mothers in our midst, praying that God is their source of strength and wisdom through every season of their lives.
This week in Daniel 5, we see King Belshazzar on the throne. And although he was familiar with how his father King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God, he did not honour this same God during his reign.
Have you ever been given a warning with a consequence, but did not heed it? King Nebuchadnezzar found himself in this situation where he would not repent of his sins, and his pride caused him to fall.Daniel 4 is the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's second dream and his journey in being humbled by God.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are in trouble. They refuse to bow down and worship the idol set up by King Nebuchadnezzar. He is furious. They're about to be thrown into a burning furnace heated up 7 times more than usual. Yet they utter these words in faith - "..our God whom we serve is able to deliver us..", fully convicted not to worship the idols even if God did NOT deliver them.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and he wanted to know what it meant. But not one wise man in his kingdom could tell him what he wanted to know. Except, God could, through his servant Daniel.
In our first sermon, Kyle Essary, one of our elders, preached from Daniel 1 which we explored the clash of cultures, the temptation to compromise, and the peaceful resistance Daniel and his companions experienced. We learned from Daniel 1 about how we should live in a world where cultures collide. The biblical solution is to seek godly wisdom through prayer, meditation on the gospel, and living in a Christian community. We also learned about God’s sovereignty. It was God, and not Nebuchadnezzar, who was ultimately the one moving the wheel of history to accomplish his eternal ends. We take comfort knowing that God is working, even amidst the chaos in this world.As believers, we're called to represent the true King in cultures that may not know Him, affirming the positive while rejecting sin and remaining hopeful in God's grace. Let's be agents of grace, affirming God's goodness and pointing others to Christ in a broken world.
Blessed Easter from the Gospel City Church family! There were so many joyous sights — children dancing, new faces, old faces, covenant partners sharing testimonies, and a meal shared together.Massimo preached a jubilant Easter message about remembering the resurrection daily. He encouraged us from the Scriptures to let the good news of Jesus’ victory impact everything in our lives — as it should! And equipped with such good news, how can we not also now go out & tell others about Jesus?
Many know the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus 3 times before the rooster crowed. But this week, we got to reflect on this story more deeply. Before denying Jesus, Peter had been eager & even courageous as a disciple. But all of us, like Peter, are vulnerable to things that we love more than we love Jesus — and so we falter and fail to identify with Jesus at times in our lives. After denying Jesus, Peter grieved his own failure, received the grace of Jesus in his death & resurrection, and moved on to strengthen others in love. Ultimately, this account of Peter’s failure shows us the courage required of us, yet the tremendous grace freely given to us. What a moving message to start our Easter week.
The Lord's Supper was instituted by Jesus as a way to help us remember. We remember the past - how Jesus suffered for our sins; we remember the present - that even in our fallen human nature, God continually guides us and continues to be faithful to us; and we remember the future - that Christ will come again, he will restore all things and we will be reunited with him.
Let us practice the art of remembering the faithfulness of God every day, learning to call to mind these reminders to help encourage and strengthen us as we face life's challenges and temptations!
Betrayal and death — why did Jesus face such deadly opposition? He had taught and healed and performed miracles with mercy and authority. But politically, the elites of the day could not accept any threat to their power & sway over the people. Spiritually, Satan had fiercely opposed Jesus’ mission from a long time past. And besides these broad political and spiritual realities, human beings like Judas, his traitor, were often only in Jesus’ mission insofar as it brought material gain, and were ready to oppose Jesus when the occasion arose.These forces against Jesus’ mission in Luke 22 prompt us to examine our own hearts — are we wholly allegiant to Jesus? His mission has prevailed over opposition — indeed, in the very hands of his opposers — and he has brought redemption from sin through his death & resurrection. This Easter, we are encouraged to commit our lives, in full faith, to Jesus.
Self-help books, online training courses, TED talks.. We all want to be better equipped to face the tasks that are before us. As followers of Jesus, we all have an over-arching task of Christ-likeness. Am I equipped? How can I become better equipped?
As Kyle closed off our sermon series on the book of Hebrews, we were reminded that God HAS equipped us by the gospel to do his will in a way that pleases him. In our own efforts, we will most certainly fail. But the comforting and encouraging truth is that Jesus has done everything necessary for us to live a life pleasing to God - through his death, resurrection and his daily guidance and provision.
Our homes, relationships, workplaces - we can strive to honour God in all, because this is what God desires, and because the gospel enables us to.
In the past 12 chapters of Hebrews, we've been presented with all that is better. As we look at the first 19 verses of Hebrews 13, we are called to live in the better by cultivating Christ-like community, honoring Christ-like leaders and offering Christ-like worship.
Jesus is supreme over all things indeed. May we as a church know and live this out, moving closer to the heart of Jesus in our lives every day.
We are reaching the “finish line” of Hebrews! It has been a richly encouraging series which has prompted us to think about the vastness of God’s promises and what that means for our individual faith and for our life as a church.
Von Asuncion, one of our covenant partner, preached from the passage from Hebrews 12:3-13 which emphasizes the importance of endurance in the Christian faith.
It outlines three key ways to endure: first, by considering Jesus and reflecting on His suffering; second, by understanding God's discipline as a form of love and sanctification; and third, by faithfully supporting and encouraging fellow believers. Endurance is crucial for both starting and finishing well in the Christian journey, with the ultimate goal of seeing Jesus face to face without the burden of sin.
Happy Lunar New Year to those celebrating!
This morning, Kyle, our elder, preached from Hebrews 12:1-2. We were reminded and exhorted to remove obstacles and sins in our lives - anything that distract us from running full speed. Some of us love the obstacles. Some of us think we need the obstacles. Some of us think that our obstacles will help others. Some of us like the promises the obstacles give us - we put our hope in the promises. None of these obstacles offer what Jesus offers.
Embrace the gospel's power to overcome obstacles and find joy in Jesus. Fix our gaze on Him, the founder and perfecter of our faith, enduring suffering for the joy set before us.
Pursue Jesus with unwavering focus, knowing our temporary struggles pave the way for lasting joy through obedience. Run the race with joy and fix our eyes on the eternal prize.
This Sunday as we worship together and Andy takes us through Hebrews 11:32-40, we continue to delve into the big topic of "Faith". Andy encouraged us toward faith which produces a deep trust in God and our perfection through Christ.
This week we looked at some characters in the Old Testament who were openly flawed, and yet commended for their faith in the book of Hebrews. Yi Khen reminded us that flawed people are fearful people; yet it is not about how confident or fearless these people were, it is that they placed their faith in God. It is not about the magnitude of our faith, but the object of our faith that matters.It was a message that encouraged the hearts of us flawed believers. The Christian faith saves, rescues, and gives a future that cannot be taken away!
We may travel across the world and have adventures in the most exciting places, but at the end of the day we long to go home. As Christians, we are journeying to a permanent home in heaven with our Lord Jesus.
We continued in the theme of Faith in Hebrews 11:8–16, considering the Better Homeland that we have ahead of us. Chris encouraged us to check our faith — to recall that faith obeys, faith trusts, and faith persists.
Hello 2024! We are all entering the year with different emotions and expectations, but the Bible’s teaching on faith can speak to us all.
Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Oh how all of us understand struggling with our faith when we are faced with trials and suffering in our lives. And yet, if our faith is anchored in Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith, it can withstand the storms of life. Because we know God's promises never fail.
No matter how the coming year looks for us at this moment in time, our faith in Jesus is strong enough to carry us through any fear or uncertainties. We are empowered to live our lives rooted in this faith, no matter what may come.
Happy new year from GCC! We said goodbye to 2023 as a church family. No better way to do so than by reflecting on the better possession we have in Jesus’ promises, abiding even as the years pass (Hebrews 11:26–39).
We celebrated Christmas together last Sunday, and what a joyous celebration it was! We comtinued the service with lunch and a fun time of games. Kyle talked about how some family gatherings are difficult for many of us because of some form of shame we carry or expectation towards us. But the wonderful news of Christmas frees us from that shame because Jesus has done everything that needs to be done! Hebrews 10:19-35 tells us we can draw near to God with confident faith, encouraging each other to love and good works. Praise God for the birth of Jesus Christ!
When the priests of the Old Testament offered sacrifices of bulls and goats for the sins of the people, it had to be repeated over and over again. After Christ came to this earth and shed his blood for the sins of the world, no other sacrifice has to be made for sin ever again.
This Sunday, we look at Hebrews 10:1-18 and meditate on this sacrifice and a God who remembers our sins no more.
The Old Testament priests had to appear again and again in the temple to deal with the people’s sin. This cycle is now broken. Jesus appeared once and for all to bear our sins. Soon he will appear again—not to bear sins—but to bring us salvation.
Hebrews 9:11-22. Patrick, one of our covenant partners preached. In the Old Covenant, animal sacrifices symbolized cleansing, but only superficially. Like a sanitizer that can't reach all germs and only clean temporary and externally, our efforts fell short. Enter Jesus – the perfect, voluntary sacrifice, purifying not just outwardly but our conscience. The Old Covenant was temporary, external; the New Covenant transforms our inner selves. Now, we serve, love, and find rest not to earn but in response to Christ's sacrificial love.Our children had a Christmas party too, and we are thankful for the new families who came. Look at the cute craft they made. Thank you for the many helpers/teachers who organised and helped out today. We appreciate each one of you.
In Hebrews 9:1-10, we meditated on what worship will be like in the heavenly realms when we are face to face with God. Worship is, in fact, not something we thoughtlessly do, because God cares about how we worship him, that he provided the perfect sacrifice of Jesus so that we can have access to him and worship him. How privileged we are to be able to worship the God of the universe with full access!
We continue on in our study of the book of Hebrews as we uncover more of the supremacy of Jesus in Hebrews 8 this week.
There’s so much to learn & reflect on & be thankful for, about Jesus’s priesthood. This Sunday we are carrying on our series in Hebrews, looking at Jesus’s eternal and perfect priesthood — by which he is able to save us completely.
Last week we learnt a lot about Melchizedek. This week, we will use what we've learnt and see how Jesus compares and why a better priest is still needed after the order of Melchizedek. Your belly is less likely to rumble during service if you come at 10am for some pre-service refreshments and fellowship, followed by service at 10.45am!
Last Sunday, in our 10 verses text of Hebrews 7:1-10, we saw the author explain very thoroughly about the greatness of Melchizedek, even over the priesthood of the Levites. He was so superior that he blessed Abraham and Abraham paid a tithe to him. This passage shows us that the Old Testament is not outdated or lacking in solid lessons and teachings. It is in fact crucial in our learning about the greatness of Jesus. The author of Hebrews is teaching us about Jesus through the lens of the OT. This passage going in depth about Melchizedek helps us prepare for the total unpacking of Jesus' high priesthood which is eternal, and is superior to everyone else's - even Melchizedek's!
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay"Is your soul tired and weary, exhausted from self and longing for something more steady and sure to hold you? Life gets overwhelming, but there is a sure promise for us in Hebrews 6:13-20. Let us come and be taught, reminded and assured by the word of God this Sunday as we continue our study of the book of Hebrews.
We were privileged to have guest speaker Zane Pratt preach to us on Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12! Last week's passage was a warning - sort of like a siren blaring into our lives to wake us up. The author of Hebrews points out that failure to grow up as believers in Christ is a problem requiring serious care. When we fail to grow in the knowledge and handling of the deep truths in the Bible, there is a risk of apostasy which is both fatal and final. Real faith is accompanied by God's preserving power that enables us to persevere in walking with Christ. How do we become mature? Maturity requires the constant practice of discernment. This is a lifelong pursuit that we should press on into, until we are perfected when we see Jesus face to face.
In the Old Testament, high priests had to continually offer burnt offerings for the sins of the people against God. These offerings and the role of a high priest is a reminder of the cost of sin, and a reminder of God's mercy. How is Jesus as our high priest similar and different from those of the past? This week we look at Jesus as our royal high priest. Join us at 10.45am for service, but not before some Sunday morning refreshments and fellowship at 10am!
Perseverance is a necessary aspect of the Christian life. When the going gets tough — when frustrations and failures set in — how do we carry on?Hebrews 4 tells us of our Great High Priest who sympathises with our weaknesses and has mercy on sinners. This is the key for our perseverance.
Every day, is a day of opportunity to enter God’s rest. The writer of Hebrews urges us not to let this opportunity pass. This was the subject of Chris’s message last Sunday. The Hebrews passage shows us further that, in entering God’s rest, we must strive in faith and the fear of God — we must strive with vigilance and in community, and being mindful that we will someday give an account of our lives to our all-knowing God. This was a sobering yet uplifting reminder for new and seasoned Christians alike — which we received & reflected on together throughout the songs and fellowship in our service.
Hebrews 3:7-19, led us to inspect our hearts, or as Nick put it - carry out an internal audit to see what our relationship with God truly is. It is possible to know the truth of the gospel, yet give in to unbelief and harden our hearts. This unbelief will cause us to not be able to enter God's rest - a place of safety, salvation and blessing for God's people. Are we resisting from grumbling, which is ultimately blaming God for something we do not have? Or are we looking to Jesus and persevering in faith despite temptations to give in to unbelief?
Hebrews 3:1-6 • Chris AbnerWe tend to have people we look up to in certain areas of life, perhaps their character in certain situations or the way with which they interact with others. This week, we're going to see how Jesus is greater than even the most faithful people of the Old Testament.
In Hebrews 2:10-18, we encounter the heart of the gospel message - it’s about Jesus, the Founder of our Salvation and our Perfect High Priest. Jesus didn't demand moral perfection from us. Instead, He achieved vocational perfection, becoming qualified to serve as our High Priest. Because Jesus shared in our humanity, he understands our sorrows and weaknesses, making his death the means of our reconciliation with God.In Jesus, the gates to salvation are thrown wide open for all who come to Him in faith. So, with your pain and sorrows, turn to Jesus. He not only understands but also saves. We bade farewell to Sean who is moving to another country. We pray that he will find a new faith family and adjust to life there.
Our expectations for the future are influenced by so many things in life. But rightfully, our expectations should be driven by our faith in the superiority of Jesus over all things. We were reminded of this in last week’s sermon preached by Chris, from Hebrews 2. Jesus tasted death for us, and is now risen in glory — so we can trust him to work his will in our highest highs and our lowest lows, even if his will is at odds with our own plans.
Have you ever been on a boat that's not tethered to the dock, at danger of drifting further away? Last week, Chris presented us with a simple and stern warning from Hebrews 2:1-5. Drifting away from God is subtle. It is not a big catastrophic event. Rather, it happens through things like neglect and apathy. The warning is this - guard your hearts and remain fixated on Jesus. Don't drift, don't be lethargic, don't be apathetic towards spiritual things. Press in to Christ and remain tethered to him. By our intentional effort and the grace of God, may we see this matter as a matter of life and death and realize that eternity hangs in the balance!
Jesus is better! This was the message ringing in our ears from song to sermon last Sunday. From Hebrews 1 we saw that, as God’s eternal Son, Jesus is superior to angels and all creatures. His coming was the fulfilment of God’s wonderful promises weaved throughout the Old Testament. This is great news for those of us who hope in Jesus, because then we can be sure that nothing and nobody can diminish or remove our inheritance as Jesus’s followers. Jesus is better indeed.
The first 4 verses that open the the book of Hebrews set the stage for our new study - The Supremacy of Jesus and Our Eager Expectation. Nick took us through these 4 verses that showed us why Jesus, the Son, is the perfect divine messenger and why we should trust his message. The reason this is important is because the veracity of a message is dependent somewhat on the trustworthiness of the messenger. In summary, Jesus is the one that has the complete message because he knows the totality of the plan. Therefore, whatever he says is definitive. It is God's total and complete final word to His people. As fallen beings, there are times we may feel that other messages are superior to God's divine message. One thing that may help us trust the superiority of Jesus' message is not because he's just the perfect messenger; it's because he is the perfect message. He didn't just tell us what the Father was like, he showed us, because he is the exact image representation of God. May we always choose to trust the truth of the message of Jesus - who brings the final word of God - instead of our feelings.
Andy continued our sermon series of "A Conquest for Rest". Looking at passages in the Old Testament, we saw again and again that the Sabbath was not a practice to restrict and limit the life of the Israelites, but as a testament of God's provision. In the same way for us today, it is a gracious reminder of the provision and power of God. Lest we forget or take for granted, we also see that entering the Sabbath requires some form of obedience and belief. The generation of Israelites who immediately forgot and questioned God's provision of the manna were barred from entering the rest of God and the Promised Land. Do we trust the security and salvation that we have in Jesus? To strive to enter the Sabbath rest is simple - put your faith and trust in the work Christ has done for you.
Dr Jeff Mooney, took us through the theme of rest in the Old Testament.
To some of us, “Sabbath” might have rung with ritualistic overtones, or might simply have meant little to us. But Jeff showed us in the Old Testament that the Sabbath was a weekly sign in Israel of God’s unprecedented power, goodness, provision & promise. That has so much relevance for us today as the people of God. Jeff also showed us ways we can celebrate Sabbath together — fanning into flame our faith, bearing each other’s burdens, and preparing for endurance.After hearing God’s Word and enjoying fellowship at church, we were ready to launch into the week mindful of God’s design of rest for us as his people.
We started a series called “The Conquest for Rest’ today, and our elder Andy preached from Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 We learn that God worked to create a beautiful world out of nothingness. He brought order and beauty from chaos. This teaches us that work is good and that we have the opportunity to reflect God's image through our work. On the other hand, God also rested. He didn't need rest in the same way we do, but He rested to delight in His creation and to show us the importance of rest. Rest is a gift and something we should nurture. The day of rest is meant to be holy and set apart, contrary to what the world tells us. We should follow God's example and prioritize rest in our lives.When was the last time you truly stopped and allowed yourself to rest? If you find it difficult to stop working, perhaps you're trying to prove your worth to others or afraid to ask for help. Remember the God we serve, who created us for both work and rest. At GCC, one of our missions is to find rest in Jesus in the midst of this busy city filled with non-stop entertainment and a fast-paced lifestyle. Let us embrace the gift of rest and prioritize it, recognizing that rest is not a sign of weakness but a source of renewal and connection with God.
Last week we welcomed a guest preacher, Ps Gideon Lim. We were exhorted to reflect on the reality of God’s love for us, as beautifully expressed in 1 John 4:7–21. We learned that God’s love is most clearly shown in Jesus. Because he bore our sins on the cross, we need not be afraid of God, but can revere him without fear of punishment. How great is that!
Yesterday, we sang these words in worship. As we ended our series "A City Restored", we saw how the book of Nehemiah ends with failure. Nehemiah alone remains faithful, and we see the failure to restore Israel and the failure to renew God's covenant.
Kyle pointed out to us that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are the last historical narratives in the Old Testament before about a 400 year gap, and then the New Testament. This is the final message of the Old Testament - God's people have returned to the land but they lack God's presence. They hear God's word but they lack the heart to obey it. Ezra and Nehemiah end with a failed restoration and show us why God's people need the gospel. The books leave its readers looking forward. All the hopes of Ezra and Nehemiah are fulfilled in Jesus. This story is our story too. Jesus completes the Old Testament story. Jesus will bring true salvation from exile. Jesus alone can bring the peace and rest that we all long and search for whether in political reform, change of careers or relationships. You can find satisfaction for all of your desires in the gospel of Jesus Christ.The books of Ezra and Nehemiah teach us to yearn for the new Jerusalem, to seek renewal in our world today, but to rest in the fact that only Christ can and will make all things new. The gospel truly changes everything.We also bade fare well to Andrew who will be leaving us to continue his studies overseas. We prayed for him, asking God to bless him and also let him be a blessing to others as he starts this milestone in his life.
On Sunday we looked together at what it means to live as God’s covenant people, in response to God’s faithfulness — based on Nehemiah 10–13:1–3. Von preached to us that we must remember & live out our identity as God’s people, reorient our lives for God’s purposes, rejoice in God’s renewing work, and reform according to God’s Word. With much joy, we ended the service by recognising the blessing of our fathers! The dads among us got a little gift from the GCC family as an encouragement to them, to stay faithful in their God-given roles to their children.
In Nehemiah 9:1-37, we saw the Israelites confessing of their unfaithfulness to God, their tendency to stray and disobey God even after He delivers them time and time again. Nick preached about God's faithfulness in 3 ways - through covenant, through judgment and by way of promise. Despite the inconsistency of the Israelites, God remains steadfast and faithful. What a sobering reminder that God indeed will judge us for our disobedience; yet what liberating comfort it is to know that when we are unfaithful, He is faithful through it all.
In Nehemiah 9:1-37, we saw the Israelites confessing of their unfaithfulness to God, their tendency to stray and disobey God even after He delivers them time and time again. Nick preached about God's faithfulness in 3 ways - through covenant, through judgment and by way of promise. Despite the inconsistency of the Israelites, God remains steadfast and faithful. What a sobering reminder that God indeed will judge us for our disobedience; yet what liberating comfort it is to know that when we are unfaithful, He is faithful through it all.
This past Sunday, we looked at Nehemiah 3-6 in our "A City Restored" series and we focused on the theme of perseverance that is seen in these chapters. We were reminded that as Christians, we are to live out our mission to bring God's saving message to all people. This mission is always meant to be done in partnership with God's people. We saw the how the Jews persevered in order to live out their mission, in the very face of economic oppression, slander and violent threats. Despite all these, Nehemiah knew that the sovereign God of the universe is fighting on his side. In the same way, we are to defend, support and encourage other Christians as they live out their mission too.
Today, in Nehemiah 1 & 2, we see how Nehemiah was moved to pray and took action. We learnt that prayer is essential, both individually and collectively. Nehemiah demonstrated a deep dependence on God; weeping, mourning, fasting, and praying. He confessed his sins and pleaded with God to act, recognizing that only God has the power to rectify the situation. His prayer is a prayer of repentance leading to hope. As Christians, we can approach God with confidence, knowing that Christ intercedes for us. Nehemiah responds to the crisis with composure and confidence because God is with him. The same is true for us. We were reminded that prayer precedes planning, as we wait for God's guidance for His plan to establish His kingdom on earth. It's not about us, but about God's work done in His way with His supply.Nehemiah took action based on his prayer and God's guidance. He presented his plans to the king, received support and led to the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls.Nehemiah 1 and 2 hold a beautiful gospel message. It reminds us to recognize our sin and turn to God in repentance. We find hope in our dependence on Him and His power to bring restoration. Through prayer, God answers our cry and offers redemption. We are called to take action, participating in His mission to bring His kingdom to the world. It is a reminder of God's grace, our need for Him, and the beauty of His transformative work in our lives.
"I'm sorry, God."As fallen beings, we apologize to God a lot for when we do sin. Yesterday, Kyle took us through Ezra 9-10, where we saw how Ezra modelled true repentance. True repentance requires more than an apology; we need to mourn over the depths of our sin and how it has corrupted our soul and conscience. We need to feel sorrow for how our sins have besmirched God's honour. Godly sorrow is a mark of a genuinely repentant heart. Because of the powerful grace of God through the gospel, we are able to flee from our sins and respond in faith. During our service, we prayed for the nation of Jordan as a church. And of course, we honoured mothers in our midst with a simple gift, lifting them and also those who struggle on this day to the Lord and His power.
We continue in our series A City Restored through Ezra Nehemiah. This week, Chris Abner, one of our elders preached from Ezra 7-8. We looked at how God's hand guided His people to restoration in the place of promise. We were also challenged through Ezra in the passage to study God's Word, obey it and to teach others to obey it.
Serving God rarely seems to be easy. Some form of resistance can frustrate even the most pious of saints. This is what we studied together today in Ezra 3-6 yesterday. We looked at how the post-exilic Israelites, when faced with strong opposition and fear, steadfastly oriented their lives around worship and giving offering to God. We saw the God of providence display His power to deliver his people from unrelenting opposition, as adversaries plotted against the rebuilding of the temple of God year after year. It was a good look and reminder that when we grasp how God is with us in all opposition, then we can truly yearn for the new Jerusalem.
In this first of the “A City Restored” series, Kyle preached on how God stirred the hearts of people to restore the city, and how the people in turn looked forward to their restored future in light of God’s faithfulness in their past.
We've wrapped up our "Promises Fulfilled" series with Matthew 28:16-20. Andy summarised his sermon and indeed, our series, succinctly with this - love the gospel dearly, speak the gospel clearly, live out the gospel sincerely.
This Easter, we looked at Matthew 28:1-15 together and were encouraged by Kyle to reflect on and to live out the true story of Jesus’s resurrection in our lives.
Waiting is often perceived as an inactive word, where one waits for something passively. However, as Chris preached through some parables in Matthew 24:45-25:46, we see that waiting is an action verb. As believers in Christ, we wait for His return actively and not as one just quietly looking. There is an expectation given to us, to faithfully carry out responsibilities that we have been given here on earth as we prepare for His return. What responsibilities have you been given? How are you waiting for the arrival of Jesus Christ?
"The worst is yet to come". This isn't the refrain we like to use, preferring to find solace in the phrase "the best is yet to come" instead. However, when it comes to the end times, we saw today as Man Hon, our elder, preached through Matthew 24:1-44, that there are unfathomable uncertainties that will happen during the end times. Despite that, we find encouragement that our faith is not in the absence of troubles, but in the One who has overcome the world. We do not need to be overwhelmed by fear or despair. May we all hold fast to the hope that Jesus' teachings offer us and share that hope to those around us.
As it is written in Matthew 19:13 - 20:34, Jesus taught us that true greatness is found in humbly serving others, just as He did when He came to earth. Chris Abner, one of our elders proclaimed this truth last Sunday. Let us strive to follow His example, putting the needs of others before our own and serving them with love and compassion. May we not be concerned with our own status or recognition, but rather seek to serve with a servant's heart.In doing so, we will find true joy and fulfillment. Let us live our lives as true servants, glorifying God and bringing hope and love to those around us.
Kyle Essary preached to us from Matthew 19:1–12 on the question of divorce. In Jesus’s careful answers to the Pharisees’ questions, we saw God’s beautiful design for marriage, being a life-long, covenantal commitment to one’s spouse. We also saw how singlehood could be a God-focused calling for some believers. At the same time, we also saw God’s precious grace for hard hearts and for those who have been through or been affected by divorce. As we closed our gathering, we left with a refreshed sense of gratitude for God’s blessing of families, and determined to live more & more in accordance with his design!
In Matthew 18 yesterday, we looked at what a redemptive community in church looks like. We were reminded that forgiveness is costly, and forgiveness is necessary. Like repentance, forgiveness is a process. When you are faced with the decision on whether or not you will forgive, you are choosing whether or not you are going to make the payment, or if you're going to take a payment. D.A. Carson - "... those who are forgiven must forgive, lest they show themselves incapable of receiving forgiveness."
We continue in our series in the book of Matthew, and today, Chris Abner, one of our elders preached from Matthew 16: 13 - 17:27. We have been learning about how Jesus has been the king to all peoples, and in today’s passage we learned that Jesus is the Christ, son of the living God, who is building his church by calling people to believe in him. Anyone who confess their belief in Him will be ushered into His church. His kingdom extends to anyone who believe and confess He is the king.
The passage from Matthew’s gospel showed us that Jesus is mainly concerned with our hearts. In particular, sin isn’t just outward non-conformity, but an inward state of the heart. Therefore, as we perfect our faith in Jesus, we should seek to conform with God’s will for our lives — not only on the outside, but more importantly, on the inside. May we have God’s grace to do so!
By the end of the service, reflecting on the Canaanite woman’s faith, Jesus’s miracle in feeding the four thousand, and his teachings to his disciples, we were challenged to examine the posture of our hearts towards God.
The Gospels vividly narrate to us the events of Jesus’s ministry on earth. Our passage from Matthew 13:53–14:36 this week was packed with various events of his ministry.
Jesus was misunderstood and opposed by religious leaders of the day. Later, when he was with a crowd of 5,000 people and healing their sick, he miraculously fed the crowd from just a little bit of food. And then during a storm later on, he invited his disciple Peter to walk on the water toward him.
In the sermon, Paul Ling led us to reflect on each of these events and what images or attributes of Christ stand out from them. He challenged us to think deeply about these things and not settle just for the images of Jesus that we’ve grown up with. While discussing, we got to hear each other’s reflections and encourage each other to grow in our true understanding of Christ from the Word.
"What's the point of that story?"
Have you ever found yourself asking that question when reading a parable in the Bible?
Today, in Matthew 13:1-52, we looked at 8 different parables that are all teaching us something about the kingdom of heaven - the redemptive reign of God through Christ. It is through this kingdom that He triumphs over all opposition. Indeed, this kingdom has begun but it is not fully realized yet.
We asked ourselves what kind of hearers (of the word of God) are we. When you hear Jesus' words that do not seem to make much sense, do you run away from Jesus as if He's crazy, or do you press in closer to seek understanding?
"He who has ears let him hear." Let us pay careful heed to the words of Jesus and lean in to understand it so that we may obey them.
This week we looked at Matthew 11–12 together, which capture five portraits of Jesus. In His interactions with the Pharisees and other characters in Matthew’s gospel, we saw that Jesus answers doubts patiently, that He prioritises our hearts, that He is the Lord of the Sabbath, that He has undeniable power, and that He grants us rest.
Yi Khen challenged us to see how these portraits of Jesus bore on our present situations — especially the tiredness and restlessness that are so prevalent in our city. After the sermon, we reflected together on ways that we can find rest in Jesus this week.
We are continuing in the series of Promises Fulfilled, based on the book of Matthew. This week, we are looking at the passage from Matthew 9: 35 - 11:1.
Can you image attending a concert or a worship service and having the ability to know and experience the emotions of every single person in your sight, all at once? You could sense who was anxious, broken-hearted, stressed, annoyed, uncomfortable, mourning, joyful, hopeful, ambivalent, suffering or in pain. And you would encounter all of this at the same exact moment.
This was precisely Jesus’ experience when He walked on this earth. Being in contact with hundreds, sometimes thousands, all our hearts are open books to Jesus.
But, what’s the primary emotion of Jesus’ heart? Let’s examine scriptures together.
We looked at Matthew 9:1-34, continuing our "Promises Fulfilled" series. Before Jesus proceeded to heal a paralytic and enabled him to walk again, Jesus met this man's biggest need in life - the forgiveness of his sins. We are reminded that no matter where we are in life, the most critical issue of the human condition is sin and the need for forgiveness. Oh how comforting it is to us that Jesus has complete and utter authority over both sin and death, and has conquered both for us.
We looked at Matthew 8, a true whirlwind of miracles and healings during Jesus’s ministry on earth. Jesus healed the sick, calmed a violent storm, and cast out demons from men possessed by darkness.
As Yi Khen preached on the passage, we saw that Jesus’s miracles provoke a response from us. If he held such divine power, he can’t have been only a teacher. Much more than that, he is the Son of Man who was prophesied and sent by God. And importantly, his healings were a sign of the greater healing he brings to humanity: healing from our sin.
We were encouraged and challenged to respond with costly faith in Jesus — to rest more deeply in his work on the cross for us, while being willing to bear costly discomforts for the sake of following him.
Kyle, one of our covenant partners, preached on Matthew 2:13-4:25 today, considering the passage from 3 perspectives that fit within the greater story of the Bible - the historical, biblical and theological perspective. Matthew intentionally ordered these stories to show us this theological truth - Jesus is fulfilling Israel's story. Everything God has called Israel to do and that Israel has failed to do time and time again, Jesus has done perfectly.
This is such a comforting truth for us. We can rest in this truth. We can find true hope and rest, not in our goals, but in what Jesus has fulfilled for us. Even if you fail, you are still deeply loved.
Blessed Christmas! Christ is born! At our Christmas service today, elder Chris talked about how hope often gets associated with our dreams and our desires. How does the story of a baby born in a barn relate to hope?
This Christmas hope is not a hope that is a simple wish/desire. It's a biblical hope. It is a confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness. This is a hope that does not decay and crumble, a hope that never lets us down. This is the hope of Christmas, the hope of the birth of Jesus. Praise God for this Everlasting Hope!
The King has come! We celebrated the birth narrative of Jesus today, aptly, one week before Christmas, with much adoration for the one true King who has come for all peoples and nations. As Yi Khen, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached through Mat 1:18-2:12, we saw how Matthew imbues the story of Jesus’ birth with so much anticipation, that when Jesus finally arrives, we are confronted with the question -- how do we respond?
Indeed, power demands a response, and this is not just any power, but power the way God sees it. Jesus is firstly, an unexpected king -- although the Israelites anticipated a Messiah, the fact that Jesus is infinite God confined in the form of man on earth, is surprising. Matthew took great care to write that Jesus’ birth took place “in this way”, drawing our attention to the “how” of His birth and its extraordinary circumstances.
How Mary and Joseph respond also shows us that allegiance to Jesus involves hardship and suffering. Following Jesus has a cost. Yet, He promises so much more. We must treasure Jesus personally, not just from afar; to see His Grace not just as true, but as beautiful. Jesus is the true King, whose power diminishes all others relative to His. Yet, He did not ascend first to a position of honour, but humbled Himself on the cross, paying the price for our sin. Indeed, it is never due to the extent of our obedience that we receive the honour of being children of the King. Instead, we are indebted. Let us repent, receive, and rejoice at the glory of our King!
Chris Abner, one of our Elders at GCC preached through Mat 1:1-17 in a message titled “What’s In A Name?” Matthew begins with a recap à la “Previously, in the Old Testament…”, by giving us readers a long list of names — a genealogy. But why? What do these names teach us about who Jesus is and His gospel? Why do we herald the coming of this King?
Firstly, we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ because of who He is. In His name we see — God saves, the messiah, the anointed one of God. Through a callback to 2 Samuel 7, the genealogy shows that Christ is indeed the fulfilment of God’s promise to establish a Davidic king that will rule forever. He is also a descendant of Abraham, through and to whom God promised a king who would be a blessing to all nations. But Jesus is no ordinary king. He is a King who would lay down His life, so that His enemies might be redeemed. Not confined by territories, wicked attitudes, or the limits of time, King Jesus is the long-awaited eternal, universal king with the unsurpassed majesty of God’s good, holy authority.
Indeed, we celebrate God’s faithfulness and promises. Through millennia of glory and disaster, wretchedness and hope, the rise and fall of kings, God still shows us His perfect plan to fulfil His promises, in His perfect time. That is how we may rejoice as His people, and look forward with confidence to when peoples of all nations may submit to His eternal rule and live with Him forever. Till then, may we continue to find all our joy, hope, and everything in Him
Today's sermon on Malachi 3:13-4:6 began with a question many of us might have contemplated before: “Why do the wicked prosper?” Unfortunately, we have put ourselves in the place of God, to insist that justice be done in the way we want, when it is actually we who have all been unfaithful to God, and are no less guilty before Him.
We learned that the book of Malachi ends with two promises, which are also warnings. Firstly, that God will vindicate the righteous, and secondly, that He will bring His ultimate judgement against the wicked. Without God’s compassion and mercy, we would all be condemned. Without Christ, we would not be saved. This is truly a wake up call!
Therefore, we must respond in urgency to this vision of God’s coming judgement. Only by allegiance to Jesus Christ, through faith in Him as Lord and Saviour, can we ever be right with God. Let us not test God’s patience, and trust in Him. Yet at the same time, we can look forward to Christ’s coming. He is akin to the rising sun, giving light to those in the shadow of death, and will restore all that is broken and disordered in our universe.
The passage of Scripture we heard from today is Malachi 2:17-3:12. We looked at how the fact that God doesn't change provides God's people with a hope that assures, and fuels our desire to obey. As much as it is a source of comfort, it is also a source of warning because His judgment is coming to the disobedient.
In the second part of the passage, we were challenged to a mindset shift - instead of asking "how much do I need to give?" (of ourselves, our time, talents, money), perhaps the better question to ask is "how much do i need to keep?". We are reminded that God doesn't bless us BECAUSE we gave, God blesses us SO THAT we can give.
Nick Gonyea, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached on Malachi 2:10-16. We learned that the problem with unfaithfulness is when we go against God’s design of a covenant community where relationships are built for trust, honesty, peace, loyalty, support, care, and love for one another, but instead deal with each other treacherously in pursuit of our own self-satisfaction.
We also learned that the reason for unfaithfulness is so often because we forget about what God has done for us and has promised to do. Despite God’s work on behalf of Israel for their good, they had the audacity to ask “how have you loved us?” Similarly, we too, may think we need to put ourselves first, and fail to love others, instead of remembering God’s goodness towards us and all His kingdom promises.
Yet, we know we cannot be faithful to God and those around us by our own strength. We need a heart transformation, and to keep our eyes fixed on the only faithful person in existence - Jesus Christ, who perfectly loves us. To the extent we believe and trust Jesus and the gospel, is when we can start being faithful to others. When we realise that Christ takes care of all of our needs, we think less about ourselves, and more about how we can be faithful to our relationships and community. To be faithful to God, we need only realise that He has already given us His Spirit, the power for faithfulness. Come what may, we can always look to Him, as our one true Father and King whose faithfulness is great and never-changing.
Kyle Essary, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached through Malachi 1:1-2:9. We learned about how God rebuked the Israelites for their false worship, and how they continued to question God’s love for them despite His steadfast commitment to them all along. God rejected Israel's heartless offerings, because they defiled what ought to be holy, and came from a heart that did not desire to honour Him. In addition, the Israelites behaved as such because they treasured and loved the things of the world, instead of the Lord.
However, we are no different from the Israelites. We too, have questioned God’s love and forsaken Him. Yet despite the unfaithfulness, betrayal, rebellion, and deceit of our hearts, it is God who remains faithful. So what good news it is that God’s love and hate is not the same as our fickle emotions or romantic notions! Instead, God’s love is His absolute commitment to elect and preserve His people for His purposes, so that He may be glorified among the nations.
He does this despite who we are, and certainly not because of what we do. We are neither holier, righteous, nor powerful. It is God who saves us by the blood of Jesus Christ, showing us undeserved mercy and grace, and who commits to bringing justice and judgement against wickedness. It is our God who loves, and transforms us every day of our lives, so we may learn to value Him above everything else and live life in true worship of the King!
"Does the Big Mac come from Village Park"?
This morning, elder Andy posed this obvious question to drive home the basic idea that good trees make good fruit and bad trees make bad fruit. We looked at the final part of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 7:13-29, where we see that the sign of genuine teachers is repentance and good character, and not necessarily the great works.
Jesus said that we must enter the kingdom by the narrow gate because the wide gate leads to destruction. He also taught about how we should be like the wise man who built his house upon the rock instead of the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. Both these teachings are Jesus' call for his followers to practice true righteousness, not just to hear and disregard them.
As we concluded our series on the Sermon on the Mount, we are reminded again in today's scripture passage that Jesus emphasises the heart and internal actions over and above the external. May we as a church always choose righteousness over anything else, especially when the choice to do so is the harder one.
One of our elders, Massimo preached from Matthew 7:1-12. The sermon today was divided into 3 parts - judging, asking and doing.
Just because we sin differently from someone else, it doesn't give us the moral high ground to judge another. We also learnt about how sometimes, even though we've checked our hearts and removed the log from our eyes (ie: we are ready to share truth with someone with the right motives), that person may not be ready to receive it.
This in turn should lead us to asking God to work in people's lives so that they may be ready to receive God's word, which ultimately is the work of God and not ours. We do not have control over it, and so we should ask God for help. It is also wise to trust that however God gives the answer to our asking, we must believe that is a good gift, even if it doesn't feel so in the moment because we cannot discern in light of eternity what is good or bad. Only God can.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Matthew 6: 19-34 and challenged us to answer two questions: “What do we treasure?” and “Who do we trust?”
How do we know what we treasure? Look at what we spend our money on, and what we spend our time on. We invest in what we treasure. We were encouraged to treasure God, because treasures of this world are corruptible and will not last.
When we treasure God, we will trust Him. We won’t let our hearts be consumed by bigger and better things, but instead rest in the truth that our good God will give us what we need, even before we ask. He knows that above all else, we need a relationship with Him.
Andrew Katay visited and preached on Matthew 6:5-18 in a sermon titled “Have you received your reward?” We were convicted by Jesus’ warning in His Sermon on the Mount of the dangers of using acts of righteousness to serve ourselves -- in other words, the dangers of hypocrisy.
Christ asks us the important question of whether we are ‘spiritually acting’ in plays of our own creation, created to satisfy ourselves and find man’s affirmation, rather than seeking to satisfy a heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Indeed, whether giving to the needy, prayer, fasting.... we can do almost any act of righteousness for the purpose of being seen by others. And in this world, we are given the outcome we expect -- a like, or a pat on the back, …but that’s it. We get our rewards from man, but not from God.
But Jesus knows our desires and needs, and knows that all our behavior is ultimately channeled towards a purpose or end goal. And here’s the thing -- Jesus wants that for us to be God Himself. Not something tacked on. Not things from God, but to be known and loved, regarded as precious by the living God of the universe. Christ embodied this for us, as someone who bore all our sin, self-righteousness and hypocrisy on the cross, so that God would not turn His face from us. If we truly knew this, our hearts would not be occupied with the trivialities of being seen by others, but would be filled with the joy of knowing our Father in heaven.
Indeed, God is unmatched in His glory, full of mercy, beauty, majesty, perfect love, holiness. The God of the universe gives us Himself. In joy and grace and love, He is our reward, forevermore.
Andy Dawson, one of our Elders at GCC preached on Matthew 6:1-4 in a sermon titled “Giving From The Heart”. It was an important warning about practicing righteousness without the right heart. In a world where we often chase after the ideal public persona, paste an innocent-looking "bible+coffee" or "mission trip" picture or two, we must ask ourselves why we do this. Would we even continue to do these things if God were our only witness?
Although our good deeds may look the same, the very important difference is that of the intentions of our hearts, whether we seek glory for ourselves, or God. Indeed, do we seek the praise of man or the approval of God? In discussion groups, we reflected on the many ways we tend to seek praise from others through acts of righteousness. Though our hearts crave the praise and honor of others, Jesus calls us to give out of a heart that loves and adores Him. But we cannot do this on our own.
We must remember Christ, who demonstrated radical humility and sacrifice on our behalf. Christ emptied and humbled himself for the sake of others. Christ gave up His life for the sake of undeserved sinners, and provided the ultimate gift for the needy. Thus, the only way we can honor His call is to have a heart that is captured by the affections of Jesus. Only with Jesus as our all in all, will we give with joy from the heart.
Today in service, Elder ManHon preached on Matthew 5:38-48, a moving and convicting passage on what it looks like to obey and live out our Christian faith as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. In many ways, Matthew 5:48 is the pinnacle of the Sermon on The Mount -- Jesus declares that God is the standard, not man.
When we are wronged, naturally, the flesh wants us to retaliate and take matters into our own hands. Yet, Christ calls us to rise above worldly standards, and instead seek to obey God’s standards. We are called to seek the highest good, for when we love, God is glorified. And indeed, God is sanctifying us in every moment of our struggle. If this seems impossible, we are reminded that it is Him who changes our hearts, and He has begun this good work in us. Instead of hate for one’s enemies, we can love, just as God loved us while we were His enemies. This is the perfect love we are called to live out.
While we do not have to be defeated by frustration when we fail, we also ought not to be complacent and disobey. While we may rest in the complete work of Jesus, He also wants us to grow and mature as children of the Father -- “being perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect”. If we are God's children, we must think, speak and act as God wants us to. Although we cannot achieve sinless perfection on this side of heaven, it does not mean we should not strive to live a holy life by faith. For having received God’s perfect love, we can begin to display this love as His children.
Chris Abner, one of our elders in GCC preached on Matthew 5:21-37. We were reminded that King Jesus’ standards of obedience go beyond outward appearance, and instead examine the core of our hearts. As shocking as it may be, we must admit that we are all adulterers, liars, murderers, and deceivers in our hearts, and have failed to obey God.
Yet, we were also reminded that the lifestyle, choices, and behavior of the citizens of His kingdom ought to reflect the holiness of the King himself. The law serves to point us towards a righteousness that far exceeds our own, a standard befitting God. And when we realize that we do not meet this standard, and instead see how evil and wicked we really are, we see that we do not deserve to be part of the King's kingdom, and stand condemned before Him. It is with this realization, that we cry out to Christ for mercy.
And indeed, the one who made peace, is perfectly pure in heart, and obedient, is Christ. Through Him, we receive a righteousness that is not our own. Jesus is our King, and when He rules over a renewed earth, it will be a life where contracts are no longer needed to keep people trustworthy, and rules no longer just to keep a false peace. Even as we yearn to see these things fulfilled, we are reminded that it is only in Him that we have hope for salvation. So may we worship, follow and exalt Him, and seek to live out the ethics of His kingdom as His people, now and forever.
Yi Khen, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached through the second of our “The King’s Speech” series, with Matthew 5:13-20. We were reminded that Christ’s righteousness does not invalidate the law, but instead fulfills it perfectly. We can rest in the knowledge that we have a holy God who gave us a good, good law that we would never be able to obey completely ourselves, not by any stretch or standard of our own morality, but also gave His Son who fulfills it perfectly, a gracious and merciful sacrifice that we do not deserve.
It is why when a Christian contemplates the question: “How righteous are you?”, we can acknowledge the depths of our sin, unrighteousness and unlovable nature before God, yet also hold on tightly to the deep, hopeful knowledge that it is Christ who is perfectly righteous and has declared us so by His blood. We are righteous not because we obey laws better than others, or do more moral acts. We are only righteous through the mercy of the King. Because of God’s grace, our obedience is not a duty but a delight. We are free to live beautiful, bright lives as “salt and light”, bringing many to witness the glory of God!
Today we kicked off the first of our Sermon on The Mount series, otherwise known as “The King’s Speech”! Chris Abner, one of our elders in GCC preached on Matthew 5:1-12, and helped us to see how Matthew, The Sermon on The Mount and Beatitudes really are about Jesus the King and His kingdom!
Blessedness doesn’t come from something we have done, but how we have been welcomed into His Kingdom, having received an unmerited, beautiful and awesome grace so worthy of praise and celebration. The Beatitudes aren’t moral standards we need to achieve, but are descriptions and commendations of the inhabitants of Jesus’ kingdom. This is so relevant particularly because Christians from all times need to be reminded of this approval, when so many of the characteristics described in the Beatitudes are often seen as those of the "weak" or "losers" in the eyes of the world.
But today, we are reminded that we are called to follow King Jesus. To hunger and thirst for the righteousness that is Christ. And that we already have a King who is eternal, has seen our greatest need, and already made provision for it. Indeed there is no greater king than Jesus Christ. May we only ever seek and find our approval in Christ alone
Today we completed our Gospel N.E.T. series -- Kyle Essary, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached on the “T” - Transform. We were reminded, as we ever so often need to be, that the gospel of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to be transformed and to bring about transformation even when it seems like we or the world are so very far from God. Indeed through transformed worship, cities, and nations, every domain tainted by sin can, is being, and will be renewed by God’s grace.
Through Revelation, Zechariah, Isaiah, and more, we were encouraged by the Word that promises us that someday, we will be together with God’s king, Jesus Christ, who will establish true righteousness and worship here on earth -- and what a remarkable thing it shall be to behold! All the love, hope, joy, and rest that we find now in Jesus - is only a foretaste of what is to come. That is indeed something awesome to look forward to but also affirm in our daily lives today, as we walk as Christians in the now but not yet.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partners at GCC preached a sermon titled “Equipping People to Live Gospel-Centered Lives”. It was really helpful to be reminded that as Christians, we cannot live our lives apart from God’s Word. It is the Bible and biblical teaching that equips from beginning to end to live gospel-centered lives. To quote from the sermon, “The Bible is not just the doorway through which we enter the Christian life but also the house we reside in”.
So who is equipping and how are we equipped? We learned how through teaching and teachers -- public teaching in sermons, small groups, mentoring, discipleship, personal relationships, and more, we are all called to steward what we have received and let the gospel permeate every aspect of our lives. With each moment, we are growing more and more in Christlikeness. It was pretty timely then that today we just announced our new series of our Equip Groups that we will journey through as a church together!
Finally, we were also reminded to always set our eyes on the goal of all our this equipping. If not to grow as Christians, and to exhort and build up one another, it is also to fulfill the Great Commission. In a world where millions have yet to know the hope of the gospel, let us remember the task that we have been given here on earth -- to do the work of making disciples, teaching the nations to observe all that Jesus has commanded, and be a people and a church leading a life worthy of our calling. All this, in order that God may be glorified by a multitude of people calling him Lord!
Massimo Gei, one of our elders at GCC preached a sermon titled ‘Nurturing Gospel Centered Communities’, and reminded us that as Christians, it is not our social backgrounds, shared interests, or attitudes that holds us together -- but Jesus Christ. He saved us out of sin, into one body as His church. Despite all our differences, we are reminded that fellowship among Christians is really a gift from God.
If communities are the project, then nurturing is the process, and gospel centered the posture. NET begins with the N because it is within the local church community that equipping and transforming happens! It is within the church that we grow more and more into Christ-likeness, weep and rejoice with one another, bear with one another, and persevere through trials and persecution together.
The reality is that we struggle to build gospel centered communities -- either by despairing at the depths of our brokenness, or by trying to achieve perfection that can never be attained on this side of heaven. But because we have the gospel, we can bear the cost of personal sacrifice, discomfort, patience, time, vulnerability, and so much more, in a love that nurtures community -- all not by our own strength, but by Him who is our sure and steady anchor in every time of need.
We were blessed to have Stephen Tan, our guest preacher for the day who reminded us that every so often, the gospel calls many to ministry that is not obvious, not always visible, and almost always ‘hidden’. Tychicus in the last few verses of Ephesians is that very example of a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, who just like many, seemed to do a small, seemingly insignificant task ‘behind the scenes’. Yet, his ministry was crucial to the advancement of the gospel.
So whether in the sharing of life, encouragement, or blessing of others, we all can ultimately look to Christ for His example -- as one who is the most significant, yet became insignificant so that we might be saved and walk in His ways. We also thank God for all the hidden ministers in GCC and throughout our lives, who have loved us and built us up in Christ, praying that we may not take them for granted and that we too, may be moved to ask how we may also be of service to others.
Today, we reached the penultimate segment of our Ephesians series! Chris Abner, an elder at GCC preached the message titled “Called To Battle” on Eph 6:10-20. Although Christians do not ask to be in battle, and might not even like the idea of war, our reality IS one of spiritual warfare. But incredibly, it's a battle that we do not win by ourselves, but has already been won. It is fought not by our own strength or a false hope, but with the certain victory already secured by Christ!
Practically though, the battle continues every single day for the Christian, even in putting off our old selves, and putting on the new. As a church, GCC is also blessed to be planted in an incredibly diverse city, which comes with its diverse set of influences and challenges. But we are not left helpless. Instead, as Ephesians says, we are armed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms -- we can put on the armor of God, the gospel, truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God, and run the race to the end.
What's more, we are reminded that we do not and cannot experience this victory alone, but do so as one body in Christ. At GCC, covenant partnership or church membership is how we express that we will fight together and are committed to one another in this battle. We can live as a people that God has brought together by His great mercy, to know Him and serve Him. 👑
We were thankful to have Kyle Essary, one of GCC’s covenant partners, bring us through Ephesians 6:5-9 today, a challenging and sobering passage. We were met with the horrifying reality of slavery practised during the Roman empire, but also confronted with the reality of human sin. Humans are capable of such evil, and we continue to wield power over the powerless in unjust, humiliating, and disgusting ways even today.
Yet, Jesus Christ, the true master of the universe, the king of kings, became a slave for His people. He endured injustice and suffering, bearing God’s wrath on the cross in the place of sinners, and died a slave’s death before rising victorious to rule. Christ became a slave not only for the good and gentle, but also the unjust. Christ endured sorrows while suffering unjustly. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.
Christ, therefore, is how we can live in a corrupt world, allowing us to endure a lifetime of unjust suffering. In Christ, an eternal eternity awaits, where there is neither slave nor free. In Christ there is a new king, who brings redemption to every aspect of creation that sin has corrupted. Today, we too must submit all our relationships to the Lordship of Christ. In all our relationships, we are empowered by the Spirit to submit to one another as we submit to the Lord. May these truths apply whether we are in situations where we are powerless or powerful. May we obey Christ as slaves who belong to Him!
ManHon, one of our elders at GCC preached from Ephesians 6:1-4, a few short but very rich verses. It helped us to see how God has designed families to display His purposes from the beginning, whether by nature, in God's laws, or the gospel as seen through Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus, Proverbs, ...etc. and in Ephesians itself.
To walk as wise people of the light, we are called to honour and obey our parents, just as we ultimately honour and obey the Lord. Parents in turn, are called to raise children in the Lord, exercising and reflecting God's loving care, discipline, and instruction to His people.
Today, we learned about marriage from Ephesians 5:21-33. Chris Abner, one of our elders at GCC specifically chose to start with Eph 5:21 as a reminder that marriage ought to be rightly understood in light of the church's reverential relationship with Christ. To truly appreciate marriage, we actually need the gospel.
In a culture where submission and headship is often marred by sin, marriage as designed by God is countercultural and a glorious picture of Christ's love for the church. Wives are called to exalt Christ through submission, while husbands are called to exalt Christ through sacrificial love.
So it was so good to be reminded that as Christians, we are loved by God not because we are lovely -- in fact while we were very much unlovely sinners, Christ died for us! It is in light of this amazing love and Lordship of Christ that husbands and wives commit to a lifetime of love and submission. In groups, we also discussed how easy or difficult this is in practice. As Christians, we also hope for the day when Christ returns, and as His Bride, His church, we are finally reunited with Him.
Today's sermon passage was taken from Ephesians 5:15-21. Chad Cavanaugh, one of our covenant partners reminded us of how we are called to walk in wisdom, and live in the good works God has prepared for us in light of our new life in Christ.
It is so encouraging to know that no matter how much evil surrounds us in this world, Jesus is our wisdom. Truly, apart from Christ, we have no power to be holy. But in Christ, we are renewed and transformed. With the Spirit, we can walk in the wisdom of God, seek His counsel, and give thanks to Him in every circumstance.
How amazing it is that we are able to sing to another and to God together in worship, and lift each other up just as we submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
ManHon, one of our elders, preached from Ephesians 5:1-14. God is light and love. As His children, we are called to imitate Him and bear His image in our speech, actions and heart. We are called to be light in this world, and to expose sin.
Because of Jesus death on the cross, we now have a new identity and we are called to walk in it faithfully and obediently.
Kyle Essary, one of our covenant partners preached on Ephesians 4: 17-32. We were reminded of the most effective way to fight sin is to recognize and see the beauty of Christ, and finding Him most satisfying. Never be satisfied with less than all of God and a lifestyle that reflects Him.
Massimo Gei, one of the elders, preached from Luke 7:36-50, with the sermon titled , “Jesus: Life Hack or Lord?”. We learned how we view Jesus determines how we approach Jesus. The two people in this passage approached Jesus differently. While the Pharisee approached Jesus merely intellectually - viewing him as just a moral teacher; the sinful woman approached Jesus relationally - viewing him as the only Saviour.
Life Hack or Lord? To the degree we know how spiritually bankrupt we are, only to that degree will we know how forgiven and loved we are, and to that degree will we treat and forgive others freely.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders, preached from Ephesians 4:1 - 16 today, showing us in the passage the what and how of unity so that we can grow in maturity as a church. Unity is a gift from God, and as a church, we are called to maintain this unity and help each other grow in maturity.
We are called to walk in unity, have a posture of humility, with the basis of unity being in Christ. The picture of unity is that God gave us equipping and serving people, and both are needed to build up the body. Speak the truth in love. We don’t have the liberty to be either or but we have to live with the tension of being honest and yet kind.
James So, our guest speaker from IC@MK, preached from Ephesians 3: 14-21. Paul wants us to have more strength, enlarged capacities, to know Christ’s love and enjoy more of his fullness. Because more of God’s fullness means greater love for Him, and love for others.
Yi Khen, one of the covenant partners, preached from Ephesians 3:1-13. We looked at the passage and were reminded of the message and the heart for mission. Why go on mission when it’s going to cost us? Because Jesus suffered on the cross of Calvary for our sake, and for the sake of the church. We are living out God’s purpose, therefore we can share the gospel with confidence and humility.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Ephesians 2: 11-22. He exhorted us to remember who we were - we had no hope, and alienated from God. But when we gaze at Jesus, and His finished work on the cross, we have peace with God. He is our peace, and He makes peace. Therefore, we rejoice as a family of God, as Christ as our cornerstone. We love and serve each other because we are people redeemed by God.
Chad Cavanaugh, our covenant partner, preached from Ephesians 2:1-10. In this passage, we saw the urgent necessity of grace, the extravagant power of grace and the renewing purpose of grace. We are saved completely by God’s grace but good works is not completely irrelevant. Good works is not a cause but a product. Romans 6:1-4 says that our old selves have been put to death and in Christ, we are raised to new life. God’s grace in our lives is not just for us, but for others - in our homes, our workplaces, and in the city.
Because God has called us by grace, we can walk in the good works he has prepared for us.
Kyle Essary, one of our covenant partners, preached from Ephesians 1: 15-23, as part of our sermon series “In Christ” based on the book of Ephesians.
We are often not focus or distracted when we pray. We are often self centered when we pray. But when we remember the truths of Christ, the richness of the doctrines motivate us to pray, shape the content of our prayers, and give us the confidence to pray.
Why do you pray? We pray in response to God’s majestic work in the gospel. Our prayers focus on His character, fame and glory.
Yi Khen preached from Ephesians 1:3-14, the second sermon in the series “In Christ”. We were reminded that we are in God’s family because He has called us. We have not only been justified, but being sanctified till we all see Jesus again. Our final backdrop is not a courtroom but a home.
“There is tremendous relief in knowing His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me , so that no discovery can disillusion him about me , in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me.” ( J.I Packer)
We started our first sermon in the new series, “In Christ” based on the book of Ephesians. Massimo Gei, one of our elders preached from Ephesians 1:1-2. We were reminded that we are called to be faithful by God, to a place with a message of grace and peace.
And just as we are recipients of grace and peace, we are to be agents of grace and peace to our family, in the people in our workplace and our neighbours.
We celebrated Easter this Sunday. Chris Abner, our elder, preached from Luke 24:1 -49.
Death is a reality in our world. Death is a result of sin. When sin entered into the world, death entered into the world.
Jesus overcame sin, Jesus overcame death and when we look to Jesus, we get instant relief from the penalty of sin.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - CS Lewis
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Genesis 49:1-50:14, with a sermon titled, “Already… Not Yet”.
Jacob showed his faith whilst at the end of his life, still in Egypt, he believed that God will fulfill His promise that Israel will enter Canaan. He blessed his sons with portions of the land they have not yet enter and specifically instructed his descendants to promise to bury him in Canaan. He believed in the already, but not yet.
As believers, we too are living in the already and not yet. We are assured of our salvation and can live in faith and hope for the final restoration of our fellowship with Christ.
Chad Cavanaugh, one of our covenant partners, preached on Genesis 46-48. Through scripture, we looked at God’s blessings to Jacob, Jacob’s obedience to God, and God’s blessings through Jacob. When we bask on God’s abundant blessings to us, His relational presence in our lives, His death on the cross, we are fueled into obedient living, and in turn be agents of God’s blessings to others.
Yi Khen, one of our covenant partners preached from Genesis 42-45. In these passages, we see how God worked reconciliation in Joseph’s family. When we are angry, and relationships get broken, we remember how Jesus has reconciled us back to God through his death on the cross. Let this truth of grace and sacrifice soften our hearts, and fuel us to seek reconciliation with others.
Kyle Essary, our soon to be covenant partner, preached from Genesis 39-41. Material blessings can blind us to God’s Providence in our lives, just like Joseph in the passage. We often mistakenly associate success, security and safety as God being present with us, and suffering as the absence of God.
In reality, God’s power is made perfect in weakness. It is in suffering that we experience more deeply the presence of God. We were reminded that suffering is the way of Jesus.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Genesis 38, “Finding God’s kindness in tumultuous times.” God’s kindness to us, wretched sinners that we are, should lead us to repentance. Just like Judah in this passage, God’s kindness to him was a gift. Repentance is not merely shame or sorrow of sin, it’s a redirection of human’s will to pursue the one who is righteous, Jesus.
Kyle Essary preached from Genesis 37:2-36. We looked at this passage and saw so much dysfunction and discord in the family, but God still fulfill His promises in spite of their sins. We thank God we have Jesus whose death and resurrection have taken away our sins and shame. In Christ, we are adopted into a new family. In Christ, we have the power to put away jealousy and pride.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders preached from Genesis 35-36 with the sermon titled “Kings shall come”. We were brought through these passages to see how God worked in preserving his royal promise, a royal lineage and a royal fulfillment.
This royal promise is ours through Jesus - we are a royal, holy, priesthood and a prized possession. A great inheritance awaits us. Therefore, let us live to display His excellencies, so others may know Him and worship Him.
Chris Abner, one of the elders, preached from a difficult passage, Genesis 34. Despite our tendency to err away from God’s plans, God remains faithful and therefore we can find comfort in God’s promises.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partner, preached from Genesis 32-33. We were reminded that Jesus , for our sake was wounded on the cross, took the full wrath that we deserve, so that we can have the blessing of a relationship with God. Because if this, let us seek to grow in Christ likeness through spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading of His word and fasting.
Put ourselves in the path of the power of God. Put ourselves where we are likely to change. Come with longing hearts to be changed into the image of God.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Genesis 29:1 - 31:55. Despite of men’s deception in pursuing power and wealth, God will still work amongst the broken pieces. He is faithful to His plan, and His people. Therefore, live in faith, and not in fear. Learn to trust God to work out His plan in His way for His glory.
Nick Gonyea, one of our covenant partners, preached from Genesis 28: 10-22. A reminder to us that we can rest assured in God’s covenant promises just as Jacob could. When we have a hard time trusting, look at the cross. Look at how serious Jesus is at keeping his promises, that he gave his life so it would happen.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from Genesis 26:1-33. God promises his presence because He is faithful to his plans; and is our source to live a life of faith. In Him, we have all the resources we need. Amen!
Yi Khen, our covenant partner, preached from Genesis 25:19-34, 26:34-28:9, with the title “Sovereign Grace”. God’s sovereign grace in election means that He has set his love on us from eternity past. It is not based on anything we are, or what we have done. We did nothing to warrant His. love. God is not going to change his mind about loving us. His love is backed up by His action, by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins on the cross. God’s election did not stay as decree, it become action through Jesus. We praise God for this assurance!
Elder Manhon preached from Genesis 25: 1-18 on how God always fulfill His promises. We were reminded that we are called to cling to the promises of God because we trust the God who made the promise.
Adam Shiew, one of the covenant partners of GCC shared a devotion titled Solus Christus (Christ Alone) during our Christmas service.
Chris Abner preached on Grace Alone based on Ephesians 2: 1-10. Grace alone is always tied to Christ alone. The grace that saves us is the same grace that grows us. It pursues us, stays with us, leads us to repentance. How are we cultivating a church that lives in the grace of God? Seek to serve rather than be served. Grace transforms us to be more kind, more patient, more loving, more like Him.
Massimo, our elder, preached on “Sola Fide” - as part of our series on the 5 Solas, “Here We Stand”.
We were reminded that saving faith is faith that not only knows and comprehends that facts about the gospel of Jesus Christ but also trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone for salvation (from Gospel Coalition).
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached on Sola Scriptura. The main scripture passage was 2 Timothy 3:16-17. We learnt about what is scripture, the role of scripture and the sufficiency of scripture, and were reminded to live fully based on the word of God.
Yi Khen, one of our covenant partner preached the first sermon in our Advent series “Here We Stand” based on the 5 Solas. Today’s sermon was Soli Deo Gloria - what is God’s glory, why glory to God alone and how do we live to the glory of God.
Manhon, one of our elders preached from 3 John. A reminder to leaders not to esteem themselves and put themselves first, but to love and serve the church. For those who are called to go as missionaries or for those who stay behind to support - the motivation for each of us is to lift the name of Jesus.
Nick Gonyea, one of our covenant partner, preached from 1 Peter 5: 5-14. When circumstances tempt us to despair of life itself, let it drive us toward a deeper hope in the gospel, greater dependence on Christ, and a stronger fight for faith, knowing that he is sovereign. One day, God will turn our mourning into dancing. He will. The darkness will be no more, and our faith will become sight. Hold firmly to the hope we have in Christ, strengthen our weary hearts with the promises of God, together in a community who point us to Jesus.
Chris Abner, one of the elders, preached from 1 Peter 5:1-5. Hope and humility - because we have a hope that is established and accomplished, we can walk in humility. We thank God for the service of the church elders in GCC who are good role models of humility to us.
Chad Cavanaugh, one of our covenant partners, preached from 1 Peter 4: 12 -19, reminding us that because we have a faithful Creator, we can rejoice in suffering.
“The wrath of God will cost someone their life. It will either cost an eternal life of an unreached person or it will cost us our earthly life to bring the gospel to them. Which will it be?" (Thabiti Anyabwile)
Yi Khen, our covenant partner, preached from 1 Peter 3:13 - 4:11, on the hope we have in the now. Living in the already but not yet, believers can still have hope even in the midst of suffering, because Jesus is our hope.
Without Christ, death is the end of the story. But now, because of Christ, we have hope because our salvation is unbreachable.
Manhon, our elder, preached from 1 Peter 3:1-12. There is true blessing when we trust God. True blessing for husband and wife is realised in their oneness in dependence on the Saviour. The hope in true blessing comes from obedience to God. God’s greatest blessing always rests in God himself. When we have that, we are truly blessed.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from 1 Peter 2:11-25. We were reminded from His Word to lead honorable and submissive lives, even when we have to face unjust suffering. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can learn to fight sin and live in a way that is pleasing to God. His suffering heals our sinful souls, and liberate us to live submissive lives.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partner preached through 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:10. It was a really good reminder of what a real community looks like, how we grow in this community, what is our foundation and mission.
We are thankful for the community we have in GCC that constantly point each other to Jesus, knowing that he is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Nick Gonyea, one of our covenant partner preached from 1 Peter 1:13-21 reminding us to live holy lives because God is holy. God has equipped us with all means to grow in holiness and obedience.
We started on the series of 1 Peter, ‘Hope in the Valley’. Today, elder Massimo preached from 1 Peter 1:1-12, showing us in scripture that we have a hope that is robust, non circumstantial and is by divine appointment.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partners preached from Psalm 22. Through this psalm, we learn about accepting our brokenness, understanding God’s holiness and resting in Christ’ deliverance.
Lament is different than crying because lament is a form of prayer. It is more than just the expression of sorrow or the venting of emotion. Lament talks to God about pain. And it has a unique purpose: trust.
To cry is human, to lament is Christian.
Kyle Essary, a good friend of GCC, preached from Judges 19:1- 21:25, and with this, we have ended the sermon series, “Broken”. We see that without God, the Israelites and us are broken people. We need a true king who rules with justice and righteousness, and we look forward to the day when Jesus will rule in the new heavens on earth. May we faithfully proclaim this gospel message to all those who have yet to call Him their Lord and Savior.
Nick Gonyea preached from Judges 17-18:31, reminding us to put our allegiance in the one true King, Jesus. Don’t minimize God and rob Him of his glory.
Chad Cavanaugh, one of our covenant partners, preached from Judges 16:1-31. We were reminded to sin compromises our call, blind our eyes and bind our hearts. That is why we needed Jesus Christ to come and save us: Because we could not save ourselves. We see Samson’s story points us to Jesus. It shows that no amount of human effort or ability can save us; you and I need Jesus.
Yi Khen, one of our covenant partner, preached from Judges 14:1 - 15:20.
In breakout groups, we discussed these three questions:
i. What do you think are some values from the culture around us that have influenced us, or that we have just assumed are true?
ii. What part of Samson’s character can you most relate to?
iii. Why is it important that we both preach the Gospel message and respond in obedience to God’s values and commands?
This week, Massimo Gei, one of our elders preached from Judges 13:1-25 - showing us the different aspects of grace in this passage - why we need grace, how we respond to grace and how grace works. We can either respond in simple faith or skepticism. We were reminded that grace is unmerited, is initiated by God, is not about rules and information but it’s about who God is. Grace reveals itself gradually, and most important, grace comes through the death of Christ.
Nick Gonyea preached from Judges 10:6 - 12:7. We looked at how the Israel resorted to power play, and tried to manipulate God to do what they wanted . Power plays stems from insecurity.
How do we avoid it?
We look back and see how God saved and secured his people. He works on behalf of his people. In the person of Jesus, God will provide all we need, and challenges us not to be anxious. God is faithful to keep delivering his people. Even hardships in this life come, God is faithful to provide us what we truly need so that we don’t have to be insecure. Jesus has defeated our greatest insecurity, death.
Massimo, one of our elders preached from Judges 8:1 - 10:5, on the danger, effect and consequence of forgetting God. Let it be a reminder and encouragement to us not to forget God, which leads to pride, idolatry and evil.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partners, preached from Judges 7:1-25. The passage showed us the importance of not boasting in our abilities and when God removes our ability to boast, it is a gracious act. Instead, the proper person to boast in is Jesus. The gospel is the lens which we should see all our accomplishments.
Nick Gonyea preached from Judges 6:1-40. We are encouraged to answer the call to obedience, to understand the benefit of obedience and to embrace the power that brings obedience.
Yi Khen, one of our covenant partner, preached from Judges 4:1 -5:31. An encouragement to remind us that we are witnesses of a great salvation. We are fundamentally victorious people. In Christ, we share in victory that can never be taken again. We are victorious because Jesus has won the battle. Amen!
Massimo Gei, our church elder, preached from Judges 3: 7-31, and we learned about spiritual leadership in church. We are reminded that because of our sins, leaders are all flawed but we can all look to Jesus, our ultimate leader.Massimo Gei, our church elder, preached from Judges 3: 7-31, and we learned about spiritual leadership in church. We are reminded that because of our sins, leaders are all flawed but we can all look to Jesus, our ultimate leader.
Andy Dawson, one of our covenant partners preached from Judges 2:6 - 3:6. We see the cycle of freedom, idolatry, bondage, repentance and deliverance in this passage, and asked ourselves, are we struggling in any of these areas? We look to Jesus, the promised deliverer to free us.
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” (Timothy Keller)
Kyle Essary, a friend of GCC, preached from Judges 1:1- 2:5. This is the first sermon on the series “Broken”. We were reminded of what success in the eyes of the Lord is, and reflected on what compromise looks like. The gospel is what enables us to live without compromise, in obedience to God. The grace of the gospel allows us to freely pursue obedience joyfully.
Manhon, one of our elders preached from 2 John. The truth of Christ, the truth of the gospel, the truth of the word of God is the air in which our love lives and flourishes. It is the foundation on which our love rests. Just as the cross is the ultimate example of truth and love, we too must faithfully and obediently live in truth and love.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders, preached from 1 John 5. We all know that there will be many times we fail to live life walking in the truth. But we are reminded to find our cure and confidence in Jesus, the object of our faith and the ground of our assurance.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 John 4:7-21, showing us in God’s word the kind of love God has for us: it’s costly, it’s timely and it’s specific. The extent which we are overwhelmed by His love for us, is the extent we show our love to others.
Chris Abner preached from the passage of 1 John 3:11-4:6, how the light loves and how it speaks. When we truly understand God’s particular love for us, we are then propelled by this sacrificially love to love others in deed and truths.
Nick Gonyea preached God’s word from 1 John 2:28 - 3:10, reminding us what it means to be a child of God. We live righteously, we resist sin and we repent when we sin, and we can only do all this through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death has given us the freedom and a new nature to hate sin, and pursue righteousness.
Massimo Gei, one of the elders, preached from Matthew 5:13-16. How do we know we are salt and light that makes a difference? To the degree people can taste and see the difference in us. We are to be distinctly different and visibly displayed to reflect God’s goodness, hope and joy.
Chris Abner, one of our elders, preached from 1 John 2:15-27, reminding us to be beware of the enemies of the light and the hope we have in God who will help us abide in Him.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 John 2: 3-14. We learnt the wonderful truths in God’s word. Jesus is our assurance, our infinity warranty. He is our advocate who strengthens us in our fight against sin, to help us obey God and to love one another. To the measure we trust in the gospel message, to that measure we will obey God and love one another like how Jesus love us.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders, preached from 1 John 1:1 - 2:2. This is the first sermon in our new series based on 1 John. We learned today what it means to walk in fellowship, walk in repentance and walk in grace.
Chad Cavanaugh, one of our covenant partners, preached from Romans 6: 1-14. Because of the resurrection, we now have union with Christ, and are now one with Him. We are now free from the power of sin and death, and by his grace, we can walk in newness of life.
Adam, a covenant partner at GCC, shares a short devotional from Romans 3:9-26 during GCC's Good Friday Service. This contains the recording of the entire Good Friday service.
Yi Khen preached from Genesis 24:1-67 on God’s faithfulness, and how Jesus, being the perfect human faithfully fulfilled God’s plan. When we see how far Jesus faithfully went for us, we too can be faithful.
Kyle Essary preached from Genesis 23:1-20. As we walked through the significance of this passage, we saw how Abraham lived and died standing on God’s promises. He saw some of them fulfilled in his lifetime but not all. Similarly, we are people who are living in the already and not yet. Jesus has secured all of God’s promises but we haven’t fully receive them yet. Therefore, we can live by faith because of what Jesus has done, and live in joyful expectations of what He will do.
We continue to live in this broken world, pointing people to Jesus, who will come again and restore us and this world.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders, proclaimed God’s truths from Genesis 22:1-24 - a passage of how called Abraham to offer up his most precious possession and Abraham obeyed though it was an apparent contradiction of God’s promise because he trusted that God will provide. Similarly, we too, at times of hardship, look to the cross which gives us hope to walk the hard path. The cross is the provision that gives us the step to walk the next step of faith.
Nick Gonyea preached to us on Genesis 20 & 21. It was encouraging to hear about God helped Abraham overcame personal sins and messiness in his life, and how God will help us do the same. We learned about habitual sins and how God can help us overcome them. Hate, starve, corner and overwhelm the sins by Jesus death on the cross.
God will make sure his covenant is fulfilled and therefore, let us ask God for strength and purpose to proclaim his covenant to the people of KL and beyond.
Nick led us through the time of teaching. We went through Genesis 19: 1-38. The God who rescues us is the God who blesses with his ultimate gift of salvation. Therefore, we should in turn bless others by sharing this ultimate gift with them.
Chris Lim from our partner church, New Covenant City Church, preached this morning from Genesis 18:1-33. It was good to be reminded of God’s judgement and mercy. May the bad news of judgement awaken men’s hearts to the good news of God’s mercy through Jesus Christ.
The scripture passage was taken from Isaiah 62, preached by Michael Crane. Michael has been a wonderful partner and friend of GCC, and we are happy for him to join us this morning.
Isaiah 62 reminded us that we are called as God’s people, therefore we should intercede for the nations and tell of the good news of Jesus Christ. We thank God that it is He who does the transforming work in the hearts of men, and because of His amazing love, Jesus was forsaken on the cross so that we won’t be.
Our prayer for GCC and all churches is for us to continue to faithfully share the gospel till the ends of the earth.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders preached from Genesis 17:1-27 which shows us the nature of God who sets us apart, the blessings of people who are set apart and the demands from people who are set apart. As people who has been chosen by God, and blessed by Him with a new identity, may we walk in Him and be part of a covenant community. Praise God who is a covenant maker and keeper!
Andy Dawson, a covenant partner of GCC, preached from Genesis 16:1-16 reminding and encouraging us that waiting is necessary and good for us because it builds our faith. Don’t take things in our own hands but instead trust God in His timing. God sees and hears us in our afflictions so be encouraged and take heart. Though waiting is hard, God is there with us, and sanctifying us.
Massimo Gei, our elder preached from Genesis 15:1-21 about the God who covenants. When we doubt, remember our personal experiences with God and how He has been faithful.
Remember that it doesn’t depend on us. Jesus has fulfilled the covenant for us. Therefore, believe. Believe in the promises of God and everything changes.
Nick Gonyea preached from Genesis 13:1 - 14:24. The passage teaches us that God’s promises always come true for His glory, despite of politics, people or disasters that are obstacles to His plan. To the measure we trust the gospel message, to the measure we won’t take matters into our own hands but trust in Him.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders, preached on the first sermon in the new sermon series, “Abraham’s flaws and God’s grace”. Today’s passage is from Genesis 12:1-21, teaching about the God who calls. The promise of the call is a blessing, the demand of the call is faith, the purpose of the call is mission and the success factor of the call is grace. All glory to God!
Manhon, one of our elders preached from Colossians 4: 2-18 , reminding us how to live a gospel centered 2021. Our prayers, our walk and the way we relate to community must be centered in Christ.
Yi Khen, a covenant partner at GCC, shares a short devotional from Luke 2:8-21 on the reason we sing during GCC's Christmas celebration.
Nick Gonyea preached on Hope, scripture passage taken from Hebrews 6: 13-20. This passage gave us an example of Christian hope, the guarantee of hope and the anchor for our hope. May we cling on the promises of God and trust in the certain hope that lies before us.
Massimo Gei, one of our elder, preached on “Joy”, the 2nd sermon in this Advent series “Because Jesus came”. The passage was from John 16: 12-24. Christian joy is counter cultural: it is eternally robust, is experienced through sober reflection, and made full through royal access. Only in the presence of God that we can taste full joy.
ManHon, our elder preached from John 13: 34-35 in a sermon titled Love. Because Jesus came, let us be people of love, by the power of the Spirit so that all glory goes to Him. We asked ourselves:
How have we previously failed to see the true nature of Christian love?
How have we failed to reflect Christ’s love for us to others?
How will we now take practical steps to edify and build up other Christians?
Massimo Gei, our elder preached from Genesis 29: 16- 30:1 in a sermon titled: Treasure Hunting. He walked us through how to identify our idols, and why God is our greatest treasure. He is because He treasured and pursued us. Our greatest treasure treasures us.No other treasures on this earth will truly satisfy or last.
Paul Ling preached from 1 Samuel 25 in a sermon titled: Sin and Compromise. For us to reject the counterfeit, we must first treasure the authentic. Nothing is worth trading for the relationship Jesus purchased for us and with us by his blood.
Kyle Essary, our guest speaker preached the last sermon in this series of 1 Corinthians. The passage was from 1 Corinthians 16:1-24. It is a wonderful ending to be reminded to keep the gospel central in all that we do.
Joyful obedience won’t come from external pressure. Instead, joyful obedience comes from the freeing knowledge of the gospel. We can sacrifice of our time, finances, and personal desires for the sake of others because our hope is not found in what we do, what we own, or what we can obtain through our efforts. Our hope is in Christ and everything else is negotiable.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 Corinthians 15: 50-58, reminding us of the wonderful hope we have in Jesus. Jesus brought the imperishable into our perishable world. He came from heaven, where life lasts forever, and became a part of our world, where life does not last forever. He did this to share our lives in the perishing world so that we can share His life in the imperishable new heavens on earth. Therefore our present labour is meaningful. Let us be firm, immovable, abounding in God’s work because it won’t be in vain.
Massimo Gei, our elder preached on 1 Corinthians 15: 35-49. It’s so reassuring to know that we will be raise up when Jesus comes, with restored bodies on the new heavens on earth. This truth gives us focus and stewardship while we live in this broken world now, with hope for a restored world to come.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 Corinthians 15: 12-34, on the consequences if there is no resurrection, the implications of the resurrection and the practical applications into our lives. The resurrection gives us hope in this life to persevere on despite of suffering and hard times, because we know one day this earth will be restored.
Note: This is a recording GCC's entire 3rd anniversary service.
Massimo Gei, one of our elders preached from 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. When we know Jesus personally, who took our place on the cross on our behalf, rose again overcoming sin and death, and we repent and believe , stand in the gospel truths as the epicenter of our lives, hold fast to it, make it the first importance - it will change us. May we as a church continue to proclaim the gospel faithfully and live it in our lives.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 on ground rules for corporate worship. Look to Jesus as we seek to edify each other, practice order and self control, and adhere to the authority of scripture in our corporate worship.
Kyle Essary preached from 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31, teaching us about unity and diversity in the church. Our gifts are from God. God’s aim in giving us gifts, and in giving us the faith to exercise them, is that his glory might be displayed.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, reminding us that the spiritual gifts we have are all given by God. We don’t earn them, it’s given to us through grace by God. And God has given us the greatest gift - the gift of faith to believe in Him. The gifts He gave to us are to be used for the common good. To the measure of that we see that all gifts are given by a generous God, that is the measure we generously give for the common good for the glory and praise to God.
Nick Gonyea preached from 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, reminding us that the power, people and posture are all important elements of the Holy Communion. Be careful not to perverse the significance of the Lord’s table into anything other than the remembrance of what Christ did on the cross for us.