Some of the most defining moments in God’s story unfold in the background: in disrupted plans, hard decisions, and the quiet resolve to trust God’s word. Today’s message, “Your Finest Hour,” looks at one such moment—when a faithful man chose obedience and courage in the face of confusion and social risk, and God used that decision to bring His saving purposes into the world. Grounded in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” we’ll explore how God’s timing intersects with our lives when things don’t go according to our expectations, and how He can turn seasons of uncertainty into moments of deep significance and grace.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV) //
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
In a city that rarely pauses, we often carry the weight of our schedules, anxieties, and expectations without a break. This week’s message from guest speaker Zelda Cheung titled, “Be Still,” invites us to discover what it means to stop striving and remember who God is in the middle of our everyday lives. Drawing from Psalm 46:10, we will look at how God’s unshakable presence speaks into our chaos, our decisions, and our deepest fears. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, searching for peace, or simply curious about faith, we invite you to worship with us and explore how God calls us to be still and know Him.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 46 (NIV) //
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
In a city like Hong Kong, it can feel like there’s always more need than we can possibly meet. Yet Jesus looks at the crowds with compassion and speaks of a harvest that is already ready, even when the workers feel few. This Sunday at Community Church Hong Kong, we continue our summer with a message from Rev. Ivan Chung titled “Doing as Jesus Does.” Together we’ll consider how Jesus responds to the people around Him—and what it looks like for us, in our everyday lives, to step into His work with open hearts and willing hands. Whether you’re exploring faith or have followed Jesus for many years, we invite you to join us as we worship, listen to Scripture, and ask God to show us the part He is calling each of us to play in His harvest.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 5:1-10 (NIV) //
The Healing at the Pool
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
We live in a culture that tells us the answer to our guilt and shame is to try harder, be better, and, if all else fails, “forgive ourselves.” Yet Scripture warns that when we look to our own efforts or rule-keeping to make us right, we actually move further away from the grace Christ offers us freely. Together we will consider why self-made righteousness cannot carry the weight of our sin, and how the gospel invites us instead to rest in the finished work of Jesus—his cross, his resurrection, and his ongoing grace for weary hearts.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Isaiah 61:1 (NIV) //
The year of the LORD’s favour
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...
We live in a culture that tells us the answer to our guilt and shame is to try harder, be better, and, if all else fails, “forgive ourselves.” Yet Scripture warns that when we look to our own efforts or rule-keeping to make us right, we actually move further away from the grace Christ offers us freely. Together we will consider why self-made righteousness cannot carry the weight of our sin, and how the gospel invites us instead to rest in the finished work of Jesus—his cross, his resurrection, and his ongoing grace for weary hearts.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Isaiah 61:1 (NIV) //
The year of the LORD’s favour
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...
Ever feel like you’re standing on the edge, carrying more than you know how to hold? In this week’s message, “Hitting Breaking Point,” we explore what it means to bring our exhaustion, questions and hidden burdens to Jesus and discover the rest he offers right in the middle of real life in Hong Kong. Whether you’re a long-time follower of Jesus, newly exploring faith, or simply feeling worn out, we pray this service helps you encounter the One who knows you, loves you and invites you to lay down what you were never meant to carry alone.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 Kings 19:1-13 (NIV) //
Elijah flees to Horeb
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
The LORD appears to Elijah
And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’
The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
We live in a world marked by tears, loss, and the ache of things not yet made right. Yet the Christian story points us toward a future where God himself draws near, wipes away every tear, and brings an end to death, mourning, crying, and pain. This Sunday, we’re exploring how that promised future changes the way we live, grieve, and hope in the present. Join us as we worship together and look to Jesus, the One who completes the story and anchors our ultimate hope.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 21:1-4, 22:1–5 (NIV) //
A new heaven and a new earth
Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’
He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ [...]
Eden restored
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Some journeys feel like quick getaways. Others slowly change the way we see God, ourselves, and the world. This week at Community, we’re pausing our regular series for a standalone message called “Tourist or Pilgrim?”, drawing from Isaiah 40:31 and its picture of people who find fresh strength as they place their hope in the Lord. Instead of moving through life as spectators or spiritual tourists, we’ll reflect on what it means to walk as pilgrims—people who are learning to be carried, renewed, and sustained by God in every season, especially when we feel weary or stretched thin. Join us as we worship, open Scripture, and ask what it looks like to have our strength renewed by the God who never grows tired.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 15:4-13 (NIV) //
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Romans 14:11 tells us of a coming day when every knee will bow and every tongue will acknowledge God—a picture of God’s ultimate authority and the final defeat of evil. In this service, we’ll explore how Jesus’ death and resurrection bring that future reality into our present lives. Whether you are carrying questions about injustice, wrestling with personal struggles, or simply curious about what Christians mean when we say that Jesus is Lord, we invite you to journey with us as we worship, listen, and respond together. Our prayer is that today you will encounter not only a story in Scripture, but the living Christ who completes the story and promises that evil will not have the final word.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 20:7-15 (NIV) //
The judgment of Satan
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth–Gog and Magog–and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The judgment of the dead
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Christ's sacrifice wasn't just a moment in history—it's the hinge upon which our entire story turns. The Lamb who was slain didn't just bear our burdens; He completed the story we could never finish on our own. His suffering became our path to freedom and His victory our hope. Today, we have been called to follow in those steps—not because the journey is easy, but because the One who leads has already conquered death. The story isn't over. In Christ, it's just beginning.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 5:1-6 (NIV) //
The scroll and the Lamb
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Have you ever wondered what sits at the centre of it all? In Revelation, we’re given a glimpse of heaven—where everything revolves around the throne of God and worship overflows. This Sunday, we explore how Jesus completes the story—not just the story of the world, but our stories too. When He is at the centre, everything begins to make sense: our purpose, our identity, our hope.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 4:1-11 (NIV) //
The Throne in Heaven
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were and have their being.”
Jesus is the First and the Last—the One who was there at the beginning, and the One who holds the final word. What feels unfinished, broken, or uncertain in our lives is not beyond His reach. In Him, every chapter finds its meaning, and every ending is held in hope. This Sunday, we’re leaning into the truth that Jesus completes the story. Not with fear, but with victory. Not with despair, but with redemption. Come and be reminded: what stands against us will not outlast the One who stands for us.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 1:9-20 (NIV) //
John’s vision of Christ
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’
I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
‘Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a story. At the cross, love is no longer abstract or distant. It becomes real, sacrificial, and deeply personal. Jesus shows us that love gives, serves, and lays itself down for others. And then He invites us into that same story: to love not just in words, but in action—towards our brothers and sisters, our neighbours, even those we find difficult. This is the command of love.This is the life we’re called into.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Leviticus 25:1-7 (NIV) //
The Sabbath Year
The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a story. At the cross, love is no longer abstract or distant. It becomes real, sacrificial, and deeply personal. Jesus shows us that love gives, serves, and lays itself down for others. And then He invites us into that same story: to love not just in words, but in action—towards our brothers and sisters, our neighbours, even those we find difficult. This is the command of love.This is the life we’re called into.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 John 4:7-8, 9-12, 19-21 (NIV) //
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Sometimes we keep count—of wrongs, of hurts, of how many chances someone deserves. Peter did the same, asking Jesus if seven times was enough. But Jesus points us somewhere deeper: not just to more forgiveness, but to a completely different way of living. A way shaped by grace that doesn’t run out. In Him, the story is completed—not with limits, but with a sacrifice that covers the whole world.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 John 2:1-2, 9-11 (NIV) //
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
Jesus is the Word of Life who completes the story—not just around us, but within us. When we stay connected to Him, the true vine, our lives bear fruit that lasts. It’s in abiding with Christ that our stories find meaning, purpose, and joy.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 John 1:1-4 (NIV) //
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
There’s something deeply powerful about a single touch. In a crowded moment, one woman reaches out in quiet faith—no words, no attention, just hope. And Jesus meets her there. Not only with healing, but with something even deeper: He calls her daughter, restoring her identity, dignity, and peace. This is the heart of our God—one who notices, who welcomes, and who restores. No matter how small or hesitant your step of faith may feel, His grace is ready to meet you.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 8:40-48 (NIV) //
Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman
Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.’
But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’
The story doesn’t end at the cross. Indeed, John writes that every miracle, every moment, was recorded “so that you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that you will have life by believing in him.” (John 20:31) Jesus doesn’t just fix a chapter of our lives; he completes the whole story—with new life, hope, and a future we couldn’t write for ourselves. Wherever you are in your journey, resurrection life is for you, here and now.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 20:1-10 (NIV) //
Jesus Comes Back to Life
Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary from Magdala went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb’s entrance. So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. She told them, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple headed for the tomb. The two were running side by side, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. He bent over and looked inside the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there but didn’t go inside.
Simon Peter arrived after him and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. He also saw the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t lying with the strips of linen but was rolled up separately. Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed. They didn’t know yet what Scripture meant when it said that Jesus had to come back to life. So the disciples went back home.
When God's people live in unity, the world doesn't just hear about Jesus—they see Him. Psalm 133:1 says, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" But this isn't just a nice idea—it's a testimony. In a divided world, our oneness in Christ points to the One who makes it possible. Jesus completes the story: from brokenness to belonging, from isolation to family.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 17:20-26 (NIV) //
Jesus prays for all believers
‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one–I in them and you in me–so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
‘Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
‘Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.’
Love without layers looks like Jesus knowing us fully, yet holding nothing back and still choosing to lay down his life for us. That’s the kind of love he invites us into. This isn’t about pretending we’re fine or loving from a safe distance. It’s about learning to show up for one another with honesty, courage, and grace—because that’s how Jesus shows up for us. Join us to explore what this kind of love could look like in our city, our friendships, and our church family.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 13:34-35, 15:12-13 (NIV) //
A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another...
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Sometimes life leaves us feeling like a bruised reed or a smouldering wick—fragile, weary, and unsure if there’s anything left to give. Yet Isaiah reminds us of God’s heart: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.” Jesus fulfils this promise. Where the world may discard what seems weak or fading, Jesus restores. He gently lifts, renews, and brings hope back to life. In Him, the story isn’t over—He completes it with grace, healing, and faithful justice. If you’re feeling worn down, remember: Jesus is not finished with your story. He restores.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 8:2-11 (NIV) //
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
“Who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29b) Jesus answers this question not just with words, but with His life. Through His love, He shows that the story of God’s compassion has no boundaries—it stretches across race, culture, and circumstance. Because God so loved, we are invited to do the same… to see every person as part of God’s beloved story.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 3:16 (NIV) //
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
We’ve never seen God face to face—but in Jesus, we see God’s heart made visible. Every word, every act of compassion, every moment of grace in Jesus’ life shows us exactly what God has to say to the world: “I am here. I love you. Come and know Me.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 5:39–40 (NIV) //
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
When the story feels like it’s reaching an end, remember: God’s story didn’t end in distance but in dwelling. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) Jesus chose to step into our world—to be with us, not apart from us. In His presence, endings become beginnings, despair meets grace, and truth brings us home again. Maybe this isn’t the end after all. Maybe this is where God begins something new... together.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 13:6-9, 14-15, 25 (NIV) //
But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.
I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.”
When the story feels like it’s reaching an end, remember: God’s story didn’t end in distance but in dwelling. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) Jesus chose to step into our world—to be with us, not apart from us. In His presence, endings become beginnings, despair meets grace, and truth brings us home again. Maybe this isn’t the end after all. Maybe this is where God begins something new... together.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 13:6-9, 14-15, 25 (NIV) //
But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.
I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.”
When we take a step toward God, we find He’s already reaching out to us. As James 4:8a says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Life is simply better together—not just with one another, but with the One who invites us closer every day. As we lean into His love, we discover His grace meeting us right where we are. Let’s continue journeying nearer to Him—together.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 7:1-5a (NIV) //
After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
The List of the Exiles Who Returned
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return.
Following Jesus isn’t easy. There are days when it feels like the opposition, the pressure, or just the tiredness is too much. But we’re reminded to “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” — Hebrews 12:3. This reminds us that we don’t run this race alone. Jesus has gone before us and he places us in community so that when one of us is weary, others can help carry the load. At Community Church, we’re learning that it’s better together not because it’s easy, but because God meets us in the struggle and strengthens us through one another.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 5:6-13 (NIV) //
When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Following Jesus isn’t easy. There are days when it feels like the opposition, the pressure, or just the tiredness is too much. But we’re reminded to “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” — Hebrews 12:3. This reminds us that we don’t run this race alone. Jesus has gone before us and he places us in community so that when one of us is weary, others can help carry the load. At Community Church, we’re learning that it’s better together not because it’s easy, but because God meets us in the struggle and strengthens us through one another.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 5:6-13 (NIV) //
When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
As Christians, we believe no one is on the sidelines in God’s family. Every story, every skill, every act of kindness matters. When each of us brings our God-given gifts to the table, the church becomes a living picture of Jesus’ love in our city. We’re better together—every heart, every hand, every voice. In God’s family, it’s all hands on deck!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 2:11-19 (NIV) //
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
Courage doesn’t always roar—it often looks like quiet faith, shared hope, and steadfast prayer. In every challenge, God reminds us we’re not meant to walk alone. This week, we’re exploring what it means to live Better Together: Courageous Wisdom—to lean on one another, stay joyful in hope, patient in the waiting, and faithful in prayer.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 1:11-2:10 (NIV) //
"LORD, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
The king said to me, “What is it you want?”Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
The Promise of the new economy is that in God’s Kingdom, nothing surrendered is ever wasted. In Jesus, even our dying-to-self becomes the seed of a bigger, more beautiful life for many. “Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” — John 12:24. In the economy of Jesus, loss is not the last word. Letting go of control, status, or security for love’s sake feels like a kind of dying, but God is quietly turning that hidden surrender into a harvest of justice, mercy, and new community. What if the “new economy” God is inviting us into is one where: generosity replaces competition, shared tables replace isolated success, and faith, not fear, sets the budget of our lives? As we step into this new year, may we dare to plant our small seeds—our time, our gifts, our resources, our stories—trusting that Jesus is already preparing a harvest far beyond what we can see.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Nehemiah 1:1-11a (NIV) //
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
In Luke 1:45, it is written: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!” Mary’s joy came from her trust in God’s promise. This Christmas, may we find our joy in knowing that God’s love is faithful and His promises never fail. Even in waiting, even in uncertainty—joy is born when faith takes root. As we move through Advent, may our hearts, like Mary’s, be open to saying “yes” to the promises of God.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 1:39-45 (NIV) //
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
In Luke 1:45, it is written: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!” Mary’s joy came from her trust in God’s promise. This Christmas, may we find our joy in knowing that God’s love is faithful and His promises never fail. Even in waiting, even in uncertainty—joy is born when faith takes root. As we move through Advent, may our hearts, like Mary’s, be open to saying “yes” to the promises of God.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 1:39-45 (NIV) //
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Hope is at the heart of Christmas! Because God is our source of hope, may you be filled with joy, peace, and confident hope this Advent. Romans 15:13 reminds us: when we trust in Him, His Spirit overflows in us. Let’s celebrate the promise of Christmas—hope alive in our hearts!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Hebrews 6:16-20 (NLT) //
Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Celebrate together—God invites us to pause, rejoice, and unite as a community! “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me,” says Exodus 23:14 (NIV). When we embrace these sacred rhythms, our celebrations become more than traditions—they forge meaningful connections and gratitude for God’s goodness.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Philippians 4:4-9 //
Final exhortations
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Life’s battles can drain us, but Jesus reminds us of a deeper truth: he came so we might have life—and have it to the full. Spiritual tenacity means staying rooted in that promise, even when the thief tries to steal our joy, hope, or peace. Keep pressing into the rhythms of prayer, worship, and love. In Christ, we don’t just survive; we thrive.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Ephesians 6:10-17 //
The Armour of God
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
True generosity isn’t measured by the size of our gift, but by the heart behind it. In the midst of rising need and widening gaps in the city, Jesus spotlights the widow who gave all she had—she trusted God fully with her small, sacrificial gift (Mark 12:43–44 NIV). Let’s make generosity our rhythm, sharing lovingly even when resources feel limited. Every act of kindness brings light to our city!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 6:19-26 //
Treasures in Heaven
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Trusting God with our time and serving others is more important than ever. In a city where everything moves fast and uncertainty is everywhere, Psalm 31:14-15 reminds us that each moment is in God’s hands. Let’s choose a rhythm of service—loving our neighbours, uplifting friends, and bringing hope even when life gets tough. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference anywhere.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Numbers 27:1-11 //
Zelophehad’s Daughters
The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the LORD, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
So Moses brought their case before the LORD, and the LORD said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.
“Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.’”
In Romans 8:15, Paul reminds us that we are no longer slaves to fear, but beloved children who can cry out, “Abba, Father.” In our city’s fast pace, this is our holy pause—an alliance of hearts aligned with God’s Spirit. Let us step into that rhythm of prayerful alliance as we breathe, pray, and move with the Spirit who reminds us we belong.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 6:9-13 //
This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
There’s something sacred about the stillness before the city wakes. In Mark 1:35, we see Jesus very early in the morning, while it was still dark, slipping away to a quiet place to pray. Even amidst crowds, demands, and noise, He made time for stillness—not out of routine, but to stay rooted in His Father’s love. Here in Hong Kong, our days move fast—MTRs packed before sunrise, inboxes buzzing before breakfast. Yet Jesus reminds us: it’s in the quiet, not the hurry, that our souls find rhythm and renewal. Maybe your “solitary place” today is a coffee corner before work, a park bench during lunch, or a moment of calm on your commute. Wherever you are, take a breath.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
Grace is God’s gift and faith is our response—let’s live it out boldly as we know that happiness is faith in action—real, everyday steps trusting God’s love, right where we are. As Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
Happiness is gratitude in action. In Luke 17, only one man returned to thank Jesus, and in that moment his joy was complete. Gratitude turns healing into worship, and blessing into joy. This week, let’s practise slowing down to thank Him—not just in our hearts, but with our voices and actions.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 17:11-19 (NIV) //
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Happiness isn’t found in money, power, pleasure, or prestige—it’s found in God alone. Jesus reminds us: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21 (NIV) The world tells us to measure happiness by what we own, achieve, or enjoy. But those things fade. God calls us to set our hearts on Him, the One who never fails, the wellspring of lasting joy and peace. When our treasure is in Christ, our hearts are steady, our perspective shifts, and our lives overflow with meaning greater than ourselves.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV) //
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Happiness is not found in the noise of the world, but in the quiet strength of family and the bond with true friends. In good times they celebrate with us, and in hard times they hold us up. As Proverbs 17:17 reminds us: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Let’s be intentional in treasuring our relationships, standing by the people who stand by us. That is where happiness and resilience begin.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Ecclesiastes 4:8-9 (NIV) //
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor.
Work in Hong Kong can feel overwhelming—long hours, crowded commutes, constant pressure. Yet from the very beginning, God showed us that work was meant to be meaningful, not draining. Genesis 2:15 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Work was part of God’s good design—a way to bring life, nurture, and joy. True happiness isn’t just about achieving more, but about finding purpose in the tasks God has entrusted to us.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Genesis 2:15 (NIV) //
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Happiness is so much deeper than just a fleeting feeling—it’s a fullness of life that goes beyond what circumstances can take away. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV) While challenges and uncertainties can dim our mood, remember that the life He offers is unshakeable—a wholeness no busy schedule, changing weather, nor tough news can steal away.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) //
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Doubting? In a city like Hong Kong, with so much change and uncertainty all around, questions are only natural. Jude 22 says, “Be merciful to those who doubt…” Let’s create space for honest conversations, gentle compassion, and faith that welcomes questions. Mercy is a gift we can give each other—especially in seasons of doubt.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV) //
Jesus Walks on the Water
Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
In ancient times, the city gate was the place where justice was done, decisions made, and strangers welcomed or turned away. Today, our “gates” are less visible but just as real: the doorways of our workplaces, our communities, and even the screens where we decide whether to scroll past or stop and listen. Proverbs 21:3 (ESV) teaches us, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” In Hong Kong, we know what it feels like to live in a city of gates with our crowded streets, MTR turnstiles, estate entrances, and invisible social boundaries. Yet the question remains: Who is at your gate?
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 16:19-31 (NIV) //
The Rich Man and Lazarus
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Jesus’ invitation to Philip—“Follow me” (John 1:43)—is still for us today. In a city that never stops moving, His call is simple: “Come and see.” Amid changing headlines and daily rush, Jesus invites you into hope, purpose, and connection. Whether you’re facing new beginnings or uncertainties, His invitation stands. Will you come and see what He has in store for you? Join us as we hear from guest speaker Patricia Lau on how all are invited.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 6:19-25 (NIV) //
Treasures in heaven
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
‘The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do not worry
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Jesus’ invitation to Philip—“Follow me” (John 1:43)—is still for us today. In a city that never stops moving, His call is simple: “Come and see.” Amid changing headlines and daily rush, Jesus invites you into hope, purpose, and connection. Whether you’re facing new beginnings or uncertainties, His invitation stands. Will you come and see what He has in store for you? Join us as we hear from guest speaker Patricia Lau on how all are invited.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 1:35–51 (NIV) //
John’s disciples follow Jesus
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning round, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’They said, ‘Rabbi’ (which means ‘Teacher’), ‘where are you staying?’
‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see.
’So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter).
Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’
‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.
‘Come and see,’ said Philip.
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’
‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’
Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’
Jesus said, ‘You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You will see greater things than that.’ He then added, ‘Very truly I tell you, you will see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on” the Son of Man.’
Our city is bustling, and sometimes the noise of all that is happening can drown out what our souls really crave: meaning, peace, and hope. In times of uncertainty and change, let’s pause to remember that true satisfaction is found not just in what we achieve, but in drawing close to God. Join us today as we seek what truly sustains us.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 4:1-13 (NIV) //
Jesus is tested in the wilderness
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’
Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone.”’
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’
Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
‘“He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’
Jesus answered, ‘It is said: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Jesus rejected at Nazareth
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
Amidst Hong Kong's summer festivals, bustling events, city celebrations, and sometimes random weather, finding a quiet moment feels rare. Yet in the midst of all the noise, God invites us to a sacred pause. When the world feels overwhelming, take time to sit in quiet. God meets us there. Join us this Sunday as we explore the power of silence together.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NRSV) //
Elijah Meets God at Horeb
He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire, and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
“From Broken to Beloved" explores the transformative power of family & community in restoring identity and hope for the fatherless. God desires that every child, no matter how broken, would know fully well that they are beloved, “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Join us this Sunday to discover your part in His redemptive work to bring healing, hope, and generational impact to the most vulnerable.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 139:13-14 (NASB) //
For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
When we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, we discover the true power of team—unity, strength, and gratitude. In a city as vibrant and ever-changing as Hong Kong, we’re reminded that together, as one body, we can face any challenge and shine even brighter. Let’s stay ignited, support one another, and be thankful for the gift of community!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 18:1-22 //
In Corinth
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshipper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptised.
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. ‘This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.’
Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, ‘If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanour or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.’ So he drove them off. Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, ‘I will come back if it is God’s will.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus. When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
In a city as diverse as ours, it’s sometimes difficult to accept difference, especially in challenging times. But God calls us to something greater as, in Romans 12:18, He says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This week, let’s be ignited to break down barriers—whether in our neighborhoods or workplaces and remember that every act of kindness, every effort toward understanding, matters. Together, we can build bridges and foster peace, right here in Hong Kong and beyond.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 15:22-35 //
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
In a city as vibrant and diverse as Hong Kong, we’re reminded daily of the beauty and challenge of inclusion. As we reflect on Acts 15:19, we see a powerful call: to tear down the barriers—visible and invisible—that keep people from experiencing the fullness of God’s love. Hong Kong’s story is one of many cultures, faiths, and journeys coming together; and it is a reminder that real inclusion means more than just tolerance—it means actively removing obstacles, opening doors, and making faith accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstance. Let’s be ignited by this vision and be the ones who make it easier for others to encounter hope, community, and grace.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 15:1-21 //
The Council at Jerusalem
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
“‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent.Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’—things known from long ago.
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
When ambition and pressure run high, it’s easy to chase after success, recognition, and security—especially when so much feels uncertain. But in these times, we’re reminded that true strength isn’t always found in pushing forward at all costs. Jesus calls us not just to hustle for the world’s rewards, but to pause and ask: What is the cost of winning everything if we lose ourselves in the process? Retreat isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. It’s a chance to reconnect with our purpose, to stand firm in faith, and to remember that our worth isn’t measured by titles or possessions, but by the health of our souls.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 14:8-20 //
In Lystra and Derbe
In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Sometimes, the hardest chains to break are the ones we don’t even see—the traditions and mindsets passed down to us. But in Acts 10:28b, we’re reminded: “But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” In a world where divisions often feel sharper than ever—whether in our city’s debates, our workplaces, or even at the dinner table—God calls us to see each person with new eyes. No labels. No walls. Just love. As Hong Kong continues to change and grow, let’s be the generation that ignites compassion over criticism, unity over division. Let’s break the old ways that keep us apart and step into a future where everyone is welcome at the table.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 10:1-6, 9-15, 24-35 //
Cornelius calls for Peter
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’
Cornelius stared at him in fear. ‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked.
The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.’ [...]
Peter’s vision
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ [...]
Peter at Cornelius’ house
The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. ‘Stand up,’ he said, ‘I am only a man myself.’
While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?’
Cornelius answered: ‘Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, “Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.” So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.’
Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
In a city that never stands still, transformation is in our DNA. As Acts 9:31 reminds us: “Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, [the community] increased in numbers.” Just as the early church grew stronger through reverent awe and the Spirit’s encouragement, we too are called to walk in both fear of the Lord—a posture of deep respect and awe for God’s greatness—and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, who comes alongside us to strengthen, guide, and renew us, even in uncertain times. This season, let’s be ignited by faith. Let’s seek wisdom in every challenge, comfort in every setback, and courage to reach out and build up our community.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 9:1-8, 17-22 //
Saul’s Conversion
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus...
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
In a city as vibrant and ever-changing as Hong Kong, we’re reminded that true joy is found when hearts are ignited by hope and purpose. Just as Philip brought healing and good news to Samaria, sparking joy across the city, we too can bring light and transformation wherever we go. When we move forward together, our city shines even brighter; so, let’s be the spark that brings joy to Hong Kong!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 8:4-13, 26-29, 36-38 //
Philip in Samaria
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
Philip and the Ethiopian
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
In John 14:26, Jesus promised, ‘But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.' No matter where we are the Holy Spirit is our constant companion, our Advocate and Helper. He empowers us to understand God’s truth, comforts us in uncertainty, and reminds us of Christ’s love and wisdom in every season. In a city that never sleeps, let’s pause and invite the Holy Spirit to ignite our hearts. We are never alone; God’s presence is with us, teaching, guiding, and connecting us to His unending grace.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 2:1-13, 41 //
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
As we head to retreat from the busy heart of Hong Kong this weekend, we are reminded of how easy it is to rush past those in need—just like the priest and Levite in Jesus’ story. But the Good Samaritan reminds us what it truly means to love our neighbor: to notice, to stop, and to care, even when it’s inconvenient or unexpected. Making room for others means more than giving up a seat on the MTR; it’s about opening our hearts, our schedules, and our communities to those who need support. Let’s be the ones who cross the road, who reach out, who make space. Whether it’s volunteering during Serve-a-thon, joining a community initiative, or simply checking in on someone nearby, every act of kindness helps restore and uplift our city.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 21:15-19 //
Jesus Reinstates Peter
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
As the sun rises over Victoria Harbour this Resurrection Sunday, we will be gathering at the Central Ferry Pier No. 3 for a sunrise service to be reminded that hope is alive, even in uncertain times. Just as Jesus’ empty tomb signaled a new beginning, today we celebrate fresh starts and renewed faith across our city. The true heart of Easter is in the promise that life and love conquer all darkness. In a year when many are traveling or facing new challenges, let’s pause to remember: resurrection means that no setback is final, and every ending can become a new beginning.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 24:1-12 //
The Resurrection
Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire. The women were terribly frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then the women remembered his words, and when they returned from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.
In a city that never sleeps, where skyscrapers touch the heavens and life moves at lightning speed, let us pause and reflect on the eternal King who reigns above it all. Just as the disciples rejoiced in witnessing His mighty works, we too can celebrate His faithfulness in our lives today. As we gather on this Palm Sunday, let us reflect on Luke 19:37, which says, "His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Let’s lift our voices together and let us shine His light brightly over our city, guiding us with wisdom and grace.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 19:28-44 //
The Triumphal Entry
After Jesus had said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. Now when he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So those who were sent ahead found it exactly as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt, and had Jesus get on it. As he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out!”
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem under Judgment
Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you—you and your children within your walls—and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”
Have you ever felt the call to follow, even when the path ahead seems uncertain? In John 21:19, Jesus calls Peter to follow Him, knowing it would lead to challenges, sacrifice, and ultimately glorifying God. This same call echoes to us today in Hong Kong—a city bustling with opportunities yet grappling with its own trials. As we navigate life’s uncertainties—whether through societal changes, personal struggles, or moments of doubt—Jesus’ invitation remains constant: Follow Me. It’s a call to trust Him fully, to walk in faith even when the road is hard, and to live a life that reflects His love and grace. This Easter season, we are reminded that following Jesus isn’t just about personal faith—it’s about stepping into our communities with love and service.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages //
Luke 9:18-20:
Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’
‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘God’s Messiah.’
Luke 22:54-62:
Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant-girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, ‘This man was with him.’
But he denied it. ‘Woman, I don’t know him,’ he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’‘Man, I am not!’ Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, ‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’
Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the cock crowed.
The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.
John 21:15-19:
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’
Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’
This Sunday, join us as we consider how our faith is one that breaks barriers. Barriers can often define our lives, but faith has the power to break through. From the bustling streets of Mong Kok to the serene hills of Lantau, we're called to be prophets of hope and agents of change. Let us, together, have our faith inspire action and bring light to dark places. Just as Jesus broke barriers in his time, we too can break down walls of division in our city. Let's be the change we want to see, spreading love and compassion to all corners of Hong Kong.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 7:11-17 //
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
Sometimes, the most profound faith comes from unexpected places. In Luke 7:9, Jesus marvels at a Roman centurion's faith, saying, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” This reminds us that true faith isn't about outward appearances or cultural backgrounds: it's about trust, humility, and recognising a higher authority. As we navigate the bustling streets of Hong Kong, let's remember that faith can bloom anywhere, and challenge ourselves to cultivate a faith that amazes—one that transcends boundaries and expectations.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 7:1-10 //
The faith of the centurion
When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was ill and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go', and he goes; and that one, 'Come', and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this', and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
In Luke 1:68-71, we read, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them." This promise of redemption is a reminder that our faith is not just about words, but about living out the Good News in our daily lives. Let us remember that true joy and freedom come from knowing God's love and redemption.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 3:8-14 //
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
In Luke 1:68-71, we read, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them." This promise of redemption is a reminder that our faith is not just about words, but about living out the Good News in our daily lives. Let us remember that true joy and freedom come from knowing God's love and redemption.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
Luke 1:68-71:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us
Luke 4:16-21: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Let's reflect on what truly drives us forward this weekend. 1 John 4:18 reminds us, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." In a city where resilience and determination are celebrated, let's not forget the power of love. Perfect love isn't about avoiding challenges or fears; it's about facing them with courage and trust. Whether you're running through the city streets or cheering on others, remember that love conquers all.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Proverbs 19:23: The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
This Sunday, we will reflect on the importance of family and legacy and recall the wise words from Matthew 6:21 (NIV): "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It is important not to forget the true treasures that make our lives richer—our families and the values we pass down. Let us invest our hearts in what truly matters.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Deuteronomy 6:4–7 //
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
As we continue to celebrate the new year, let's not forget the true blessings that bring us together: our families and our faith. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we're reminded: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” This verse inspires us to see our families as a new creation, where love and grace are passed down through generations. Just as Hong Kong continues to evolve and grow, so too can our families be renewed in Christ.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages //
Exodus 34:7: Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.
Ezekiel 18:14-17: But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel.He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live."
Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
Romans 6:6-7: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Joshua 24:15: But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
In a society where traditional values meet modern challenges, it's crucial to reflect on our generational legacies. The verse from 2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." In Hong Kong, where family structures are evolving and societal expectations are shifting, it's essential to seek guidance from above. Let's use this verse as a reminder to align our thoughts and actions with Christ's teachings, fostering stronger, more resilient families.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Genesis 27:30-38 //
After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, ‘My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.’
His father Isaac asked him, ‘Who are you?’
‘I am your son,’ he answered, ‘your firstborn, Esau.’
Isaac trembled violently and said, ‘Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him – and indeed he will be blessed!’
When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, ‘Bless me – me too, my father!’
But he said, ‘Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.’
Esau said, ‘Isn’t he rightly named Jacob?[a] This is the second time he has taken advantage of me: he took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!’ Then he asked, ‘Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?’
Isaac answered Esau, ‘I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?’
Esau said to his father, ‘Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!’ Then Esau wept aloud.
Happy Lunar New Year friends! We hope you are having a wonderful time this week. As we look towards Sunday, let us be reminded of Hosea 6:6, which says, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." In this new year, let us continue to prioritize compassion over convenience, understanding over judgment, and togetherness over isolation.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 22:14-23 //
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
In lives filled with challenges, the essence of family and faith shines brighter than ever. As we reflect on the story of Abraham, we learn of how his powerful act of faith teaches us that true worship is not just about songs and prayers but also about our willingness to give back to God what is most precious to us. Let us embrace this calling to worship through our actions and generosity, knowing that our sacrifices can lead to greater blessings for others.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 26:6-13 //
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you,[a] but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’
In a world where we often feel the weight of expectations, it's essential to remember the power of love and equality within our families—especially in the church family. This Sunday, we will reflect on the concept of favoritism by meditating on the verse from James 2:8 reminds us: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing right.” Let’s embrace each family member with the same love we wish for ourselves and, together, build a supportive community that thrives on unity and respect.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Genesis 25:27–34 //
The boys grew up, and Esau became a skilful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, ‘Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!’ (That is why he was also called Edom.
Jacob replied, ‘First sell me your birthright.’
‘Look, I am about to die,’ Esau said. ‘What good is the birthright to me?’
But Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
In this second week of the new year, let’s reflect on what truly matters by remembering the words from Luke 9:25: "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” In Hong Kong, where the pace of life is fast and the pressures are high, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle. But as we embrace 2025, let’s commit to nurturing our family bonds and instilling discipline as disciples of Christ.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 9:23-25 //
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?"
As we step into this new year, let’s remember the power of grace in our families and communities. In a time when challenges seem to abound, the promise from 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." As we move forward together, we can embrace each moment with compassion and understanding. Let’s extend grace to one another, recognising that it’s in our vulnerabilities that we find strength as we move towards a year filled with love, support, and the grace that binds us together as family.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
2 Corinthians 12:9:
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Hebrews 12:1b-3:
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
1 Corinthians 9:24:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed; yet, amidst the noise, there’s a profound peace that transcends all understanding. As we navigate through the busyness of this year-end season, let’s remember the words of John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” This promise reminds us that true peace is not found in our circumstances but in a deeper connection. Let us embrace this gift of peace and share it with those around us; and may we find comfort in knowing that we are never alone.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Isaiah 9:6-7 //
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
As we continue to chase for greater things, it’s easy to overlook the small beginnings that hold immense potential. Just like the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand, every little step we take matters. As we navigate through challenges and uncertainties, let us remember the words from Zechariah 4:10: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” Each moment of hope, each act of kindness, and every dream nurtured is a foundation for something greater. Join us on Sunday as we kick off a new sermon series centred around Advent and let us embrace our small beginnings together!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Zechariah 9:9-13 //
The coming of Zion’s king
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
and the battle-bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
I will bend Judah as I bend my bow
and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
against your sons, Greece,
and make you like a warrior’s sword.
In a world that is often filled with rushing around, let us take a moment to pause and reflect on the blessings around us. In the excitement of it all, let us remember to express our gratitude for the opportunities and connections these moments bring. Indeed, Ephesians 5:20 reminds us to “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This season, let's celebrate the spirit of community and togetherness. Whether you're attending a local festival or welcoming visitors from afar in this season, let gratitude be at the heart of our interactions.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
Luke 24:30-31: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight.
James 1:17: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Living in a world that often prioritises outward appearances, it is important for us to remember that the true essence of beauty lies within. As 1 Peter 3:4 reminds us, "Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” With this encouragement, let us then seek to cultivate a spirit that shines brightly amidst the chaos. Together, we can inspire others to see beyond the surface, recognise the profound worth of inner beauty, and celebrate our unique journeys to uplift one another!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
John 3:16-17: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
1 Peter 3:3-4: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
Isaiah 53:2-3:
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
In a world where uncertainty looms and hope often feels distant, we are called to stand firm in our faith. As 1 Peter 3:15 reminds us, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” That is a wonderful reminder that each of us can contribute to a greater narrative of faith and unity, inspiring others to seek and find their own hope in Christ. Together, we can be vessels of God’s love, reaching out to those who feel lost or disconnected.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 4:4–14 //
So [Jesus] came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?"
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
In a world where division can often prevail, let's draw inspiration from Acts 2:44: "All the believers were together and had everything in common." As we navigate the challenges of life, let's come together in unity and support. Whether it's through sharing resources, lending a helping hand, or simply being present for one another, our collective strength can bring about positive change. Let's embody the spirit of community and love that binds us. Together, we can make a difference for the sake of the world.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 2:43–47 //
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
In a city as vibrant and dynamic as Hong Kong, we are blessed with opportunities to excel in many areas—faith, speech, knowledge, and love. As we navigate these bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, let's also remember to excel in the grace of giving. In these times of change and growth, let's focus on how we can contribute to our community and the world around us as we are inspired by 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV), which says: "But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Together, let's make Hong Kong a beacon of hope and kindness.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19 //
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs...
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
In a world where we often cling tightly to our possessions, this verse reminds us of a profound truth: everything belongs to God. Indeed, giving isn't just about money—it's a heart matter. When we recognise that all we have is a gift from God, it becomes easier to open our hands and hearts to others. As we go about our week, let's challenge ourselves to see our resources through this lens. How can we use what we've been entrusted with to bless others and make our city a better place?
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 6:19-25 //
Treasures in Heaven
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
As we reflect on our purpose in this vibrant city of Hong Kong, let us remember the words from Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Let us always continue to embrace our calling to uplift one another. Whether through volunteering, supporting local initiatives, or simply spreading kindness, each of us has a unique gift to share. Join us this Sunday as we work together to make a difference and embody the spirit of compassion and community that defines our city.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 13:1-9 //
The parable of the sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.’
In a world that often feels divided, the power of gifts—both tangible and intangible—can bridge gaps and foster connection. Inspired by Acts 16:15, where Lydia opens her home to Paul and his companions, we are reminded of the beauty of hospitality and generosity. Lydia's invitation wasn’t just about offering a place to stay; it was an act of faith and community that transformed her life and the lives of those around her.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Acts 16:12-15 //
From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptised, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.
In a time when our world faces unprecedented challenges, let us remember the enduring goodness and love of the LORD. As Psalm 100:5 reminds us, "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Let us continue to stand united in faith and hope, knowing that our actions today shape the world for tomorrow. Together, we can create a legacy of love and resilience that will inspire those who follow us.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
Proverbs 16:31: Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained in the way of righteousness.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Psalm 92:14 (NIV)
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green…
Psalm 8:2 (NIV)
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies…
As we reflect on our role in caring for creation, let’s remember the profound words from Genesis 2:15: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Indeed, we are witnessing the need for Christian stewardship more than ever as pressing issues like air pollution, plastic waste, and biodiversity loss are impacting our beloved city. The recent climate reports remind us that we must act now to protect our environment for future generations. Let us continue moving on this journey of creation care as we strive to live in harmony with nature and fulfil our responsibility to protect God's creation.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Colossians 1:15-20 //
The supremacy of the Son of God
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Last month, Hong Kong celebrated National Ecology Day 2024, so it is also good for us to reflect on how God has called us to be stewards of His creation. Creation care goes beyond just planting trees of course—it's about living in harmony with the world that God has entrusted to us. In the face of pressing environmental challenges like climate change and pollution, we have a responsibility to make choices that honour God's creation. Let us also be inspired to put our faith into action. We are God's masterpieces, created to do good works that make a difference in caring for His world.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Genesis 1:1-19 //
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called ‘night’. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
And God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’ So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault ‘sky’. And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry ground ‘land’, and the gathered waters he called ‘seas’. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.’ And it was so. God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
In a world filled with uncertainty and challenges, it's crucial to hold onto the hope that sustains us. Inspired by 1 Peter 3:15, we are reminded to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." This hope is not just a fleeting feeling but a profound conviction rooted in faith and the promise of a brighter future; it empowers us to respond with grace and courage, even when faced with adversity. It's a hope that inspires us to perform acts of kindness and compassion, reflecting the love and mercy of God.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages //
Luke 4:18-21:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’
John 6:68-69: Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’
In a world filled with challenges, especially here in Hong Kong, we are reminded of our calling as servants of Christ. As we navigate through economic struggles and the pressing need for compassion, let us hold onto the truth found in 1 Corinthians 4:1: “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.” We are not merely passive observers; we are active participants in sharing the gospel and embodying love in action.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Matthew 4:18-22 //
Jesus calls his first disciples
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
In the quiet hours when the world sleeps, there are those who tirelessly serve, bringing light to the shadows. As we reflect on the words of Matthew 6:3, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” let us remember the beauty of selfless giving; because amidst the hustle and bustle of life in Hong Kong, many face challenges that often go unnoticed. Together then, let’s continue to uplift one another and spread love throughout our community and city.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 134 //
A song of ascents.
Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.
May the LORD bless you from Zion,
he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
In the spirit of "Unity in Community," we draw inspiration from Psalm 133, which beautifully reminds us, "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" As we navigate through the challenges of our times, let us come together to celebrate our diverse backgrounds and shared dreams. Just like the precious oil that flows down, we let our kindness and compassion flow freely among us, creating a bond that strengthens our community. Join us this Sunday in this journey of togetherness where every voice matters and every heart beats in harmony.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 133 //
A song of ascents. Of David.
How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life for evermore.
In the midst of Hong Kong's hottest summer, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the unexpected—whether that be sudden rain or just how hot things have suddenly gotten! Yet, in these moments, we are reminded to lean on an unexpected God who strengthens us from within. As Ephesians 3:16 (NIV) shares, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” God often works in ways we least expect, providing hope and strength in the most surprising circumstances. So let us stay strong and trust in the unexpected God who fortifies us from within.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 132 //
A song of ascents.
LORD, remember David
and all his self-denial.
He swore an oath to the LORD,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
‘I will not enter my house
or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.’
We heard it in Ephrathah,
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
‘Let us go to his dwelling-place,
let us worship at his footstool, saying,
“Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.”’
For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
The LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
‘One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons shall sit
on your throne for ever and ever.’
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
‘This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.
I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people shall ever sing for joy.
‘Here I will make a horn grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but his head shall be adorned with a radiant crown.’
In a world where technology evolves at lightning speed, it's awe-inspiring to reflect on the ultimate source of all creation. As Hong Kong buzzes with innovation, from digital currency platforms to beloved robotic cats, we're reminded of a timeless truth: "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16). This verse beautifully captures the essence of God's role in all creation, including the marvels of science and technology we witness daily while drawing us deeper into God’s heart.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Colossians 1:16–17 //
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced city, it's easy to get caught up in the noise and chaos. Yet, amidst the challenges we face—be it economic uncertainties, mental health struggles, or the pressures of daily life—there's a timeless wisdom that calls us to find strength in stillness. Isaiah 30:15b reminds us: "...in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Let this be a gentle reminder to pause, reflect, and find peace in the quiet moments. In a world that demands instant results, let’s embrace the power of a quieted soul.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 131 //
A song of ascents. Of David.
My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quietened myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.
Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and for evermore.
In the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives, it's easy to forget the profound gifts we've received. As we navigate through the challenges and changes in Hong Kong, let's take a moment to reflect on the power of forgiveness, restoration, and the great grace of God through the confidence of Psalm 103:2: "Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” In these times of rapid technological advancements and societal shifts, may we remember to anchor ourselves in gratitude and faith. God's grace is a constant, guiding us through every trial and triumph. Let's embrace His forgiveness and allow it to restore our hearts and communities.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 130 //
A song of ascents.
Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
We are consistently reminded of the enduring power of faith, hope, and love in Hong Kong. As we navigate through the trials and tribulations, let us hold onto the words of 1 Corinthians 13:13: "Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” It is through love that we find the courage and the hope to build a brighter future.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 128 //
A song of ascents.
Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labour;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
round your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the LORD.
May the Lord bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—
peace be on Israel.
In these fast-paced times, may we find true and lasting joy by trusting in the God of hope, especially as we navigate the instant world around us, we continue to pray that the power of the Holy Spirit fill us with overflowing joy and peace. No matter what challenges we face, the Lord will sustain us and empower us to be disciples who spread His light. Indeed, as Romans 15:13 reminds us, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 126 //
A song of ascents.
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
‘The LORD has done great things for them.’
The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, LORD,
like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
This week, we reflect on the words from Micah 7:7 as we navigate the complexities of our time: "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." This passage speaks to the heart of our city, encouraging us to look forward with hope and trust in the midst of uncertainty. In the stillness of anticipation, we find strength and reassurance that our voices are heard, and our aspirations are not forgotten. Indeed, we wait together, not in idleness, but in active hope, for a future where our city shines brighter than ever before.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 123 //
A song of ascents.
I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.
This Sunday, we embrace "The Power of Worship" and the profound peace it brings, as promised in Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Amidst the hustle and ever-changing tides of our city, worship stands as a beacon of hope, a practice that goes beyond Sunday rituals—it's a transformative force that renews our spirit daily. It's in worship that we find the strength to rise above our challenges, to see beyond the turmoil, and to anchor ourselves in the steadfast love and sovereignty of God.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 122 //
A song of ascents. Of David.
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up—
the tribes of the Lord—to praise the name of the Lord
according to the statute given to Israel.
There stand the thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.”
For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity.
This Sunday, we will begin a new series that explores how to be a disciple in an instant world. In our busy city, where every second counts, we face a choice in our spiritual walk: to be pilgrims or tourists. As pilgrims, we embark on a journey of discipleship, delving deep into the heart of our faith, committing to a path that shapes our very being. As tourists, we may only skim the surface, seeking instant gratification without the transformative experience. Yet no matter the pace of our city or the instant nature of our world, nothing can sever the bond we share with the divine as Romans 8:38-39 so aptly puts it: For I am convinced that neither death nor life [...] nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 121 //
A song of ascents.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Amidst the ebb and flow of life, the spirit of community remains our strongest ally. As Hong Kong navigates its waves of challenges, it's the strength and warmth of our collective efforts that shines through. As we deepen our bonds with God and one another through our all-church weekend Retreat, we pray that you look forward to a powerful time that forges our sense of togetherness and shared vision for the city. As it says in Hebrews 10:24, ”Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
This Sunday, we will look at how it is easy to overlook the wounds we carry within us. Yet it is in acknowledging our vulnerabilities that we find true strength and healing. As we navigate through the complexities of life in Hong Kong, let's take a moment to reflect on the profound message of Isaiah 53:5. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 20:19-20 //
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
As we ready our hearts for Sunday, let's take a moment to reflect on the profound wisdom of Galatians 6:2: "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Let us always continue to remember that the true strength of our community lies in our unity and our willingness to uplift one another. Together, we can embody the faith of a friend and, in doing so, fulfil the law of Christ by spreading love, compassion, and understanding throughout our vibrant city.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Mark 2:1-11 //
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
As we reflected on the sorrow that marked Holy Week, we now look forward to the enduring message of hope and renewal in the coming Sunday. As we witness the city’s continued resilience, we are reminded of the profound words of Jesus, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…" (John 11:25). In every corner of our city, we see life blooming anew in the midst. Let's carry this spirit of rebirth in our hearts, believing in the possibility of new beginnings and the promise of a brighter future. For in faith and unity, we find the strength to rise, again and again.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
John 20:1-2: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
John 20:15-17: He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
John 20:19-20: On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
As we navigate the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, let's pause and reflect on the divine presence in every corner of our world. This Sunday, join us for a sermon that will inspire you to perceive and participate in God's work around us. The words of Luke 19:39-40 remind us that the message of faith will continue to resound: Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 19:29-40 //
As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Amidst the vibrant energy of Hong Kong, let's pause to embrace the quiet strength of "Faith in the Wilderness.” As we witness the city's transformation with Hong Kong’s annual Flower Show, let us also cultivate a faith within us that can move mountains. Indeed, as Matthew 17:20 says, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Join us this Sunday as we continue to journey through this Lenten season, finding faith that sustains us, even in the wilderness of life's uncertainties.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Verses //
Psalm 23:1-4:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Matthew 26:36-44:
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
This Sunday, we're tackling the heartfelt plea, "Help My Unbelief," inspired by Mark 9:24. As we continue to strive for more, let's find the courage to admit our doubts and seek a deeper faith together. As the boy’s father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Let us also join in exploring this honest struggle between belief and doubt, and how it can lead to a stronger, more resilient faith.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Mark 9:21-25 //
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
Join us this Sunday as we explore the profound question: "What Is Faith?” Inspired by Jesus' promise in John 11:25, we'll delve into the mystery and power of faith that transcends even death as the verse shows Jesus saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 11:21–27 //
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Join us at Community Church this Sunday to dive deeper into "Evolving Faith" and discover how we can live out this radical call in our daily lives, especially amidst the current events shaping our city. In navigating the bustling streets and vibrant spirit of Hong Kong, we encourage take a moment this weekend to reflect on a powerful message from Matthew 5:38-39a: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.” As the world shows that retaliation appears to be the norm, Jesus calls us to an evolving faith—one that responds to challenges not with vengeance, but with love and non-resistance.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages: //
Leviticus 24:19-20: Anyone who injures their neighbour is to be injured in the same manner: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.
Matthew 5:38-39: You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
As we wrap up the Lunar New Year holidays, we look forward to gathering with you at church this Sunday to delve a new series called “Flourishing Faith” and the message on “The Centre,” inspired by 1 Corinthians 2:2, which says, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” In a city of constant change, let's focus on the unchanging truth of Christ crucified, the true centre of our faith.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 24:27 (NIV): //
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Join us this Sunday as we explore "Primal Questions (Part 4)" inspired by 2 Corinthians 6:18 that reminds us: "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” In the midst of the Lunar New Year festivities, let's discover the beauty of deep, meaningful connections and how they enrich our lives. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the essence of thriving relationships as we step into the Year of the Dragon.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages //
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NIV): Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NIV): If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 John 3:1 (NIV): See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV): And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
In this Sunday's message, we return to our primal questions, drawing inspiration from 1 John 2:6, which says, “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” How can we align our lives with Christ's example and cultivate connections that reflect His love and grace? Join us as we explore the primal questions that shape our interactions and discover the transformative power of authentic relationships.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) //
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
This Sunday, we dive into Luke 15:28–29 to discover the often overlooked perspective of the older sibling in the parable of the prodigal son. It's a reminder to examine our hearts and embrace God's grace beyond our own judgments. May we find healing, understanding, and compassion as we journey deeper into His love.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 15:28–29 (NIV) //
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, "Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends."
This Sunday, we continue with "Primal Questions, Part 2," a captivating journey of personal transformation. Let us explore the power of God's glory and its profound impact on the deepest questions we have about our lives as we delve into 2 Corinthians 3:18, which says, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” Through it, we will discover the beauty of becoming more like Christ as we behold His glory and delve deeper into the primal questions that shape our faith and lives—leading us to a life of purpose and significance.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Key Passages //
Matthew 12:25 (NASB)
And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
Matthew 22:18 (NASB)
But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?"
Luke 6:8 (NASB)
But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward.
Luke 11:17 (NASB)
But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls."
Luke 16:15b (NASB)
…but God knows your hearts; because that which is highly esteemed among people is detestable in the sight of God.
Acts 15:8 (NASB)
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us...
In a world consumed by superficial measures of worth, let us pause and reflect on what truly matters—what are the key questions about ourselves that we want answered? Join us on a journey of self-discovery as we explore the primal questions that shape our lives this Sunday. What defines our identity? How do we measure success? We will delve into 1 Samuel 16:7, which reminds us, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Ephesians 3:17-20 (NLT) //
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
As we step into the new year, let us embrace the promise of flourishing and the abundant blessings that await us. Just like the beautiful feet that bring good news, we are called to be messengers of hope, peace, and salvation. Indeed, in Isaiah 52:7, it says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Isaiah 52:7 (NIV) //
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
As we approach Christmas Eve, let us pause and reflect on the profound truth encapsulated in these words. As Luke 2:11 shares, love came near to us, not in grandeur or splendour, but in the humble form of a baby: Jesus, our Saviour, Messiah, and Lord. The birth of Jesus is a divine reminder of God's immeasurable love for humanity. It is a love that reaches beyond the boundaries of time and space, offering hope, forgiveness, and eternal redemption. This love knows no limits, embraces the broken, and brings healing to our souls.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 2:4-12 (NIV) //
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
In a world that is longing for and, at this time especially, needs peace, let us look to the Prince of Peace: Jesus Christ. His sacrifice on the cross reconciles all things, bringing true and transformative peace to our lives. Indeed, in Colossians 1:19–20a, it says, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// KEY VERSES //
Isaiah 9:6–7 (NIV): For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 11:1–9 (NIV): A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In the midst of life's many challenges and uncertainties, we find solace in the promise of new hope this Sunday. Revelation 21:5 reminds us that God, in His infinite grace, is continually making all things new as it recounts, "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" It's an invitation to embrace transformation, restoration, and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. Indeed, as we begin our journey through Advent with a new series, we consider this ever-changing world and hold on to the assurance that God is at work, bringing forth beauty from ashes and breathing new life into every situation. He is the author of redemption, and in His hands, our brokenness can be transformed into a masterpiece.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 21:1–5 (NIV) //
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
This Sunday, in the midst of the fiery imagery of the "Lake of Fire," we are reminded of our role as ambassadors for Christ. As His representatives, we carry His message of love, redemption, and salvation to a world in need. As we enter a weekend of reflection and gratitude, let us be grateful for the privilege of being chosen as God's messengers. We are called to be difference-makers, agents of transformation, and bringers of His grace wherever we go. As it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:20:"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV) //
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
In a world longing for hope and truth, we, the Church, are called to be witnesses of God's love and grace. Join us this Sunday as we dive into a service that looks into how we, as the Church, are called to be His witnesses. Revelation 13:10c reminds us that this task "calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people".
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all our most up-to-date links at https://bit.ly/cc-links
If you find our services and sermons God-honouring and life-giving, be sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE as that helps YouTube deliver this type of content to people who would be blessed by it.
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 11:1–4, 9–13, 15 (NIV) //
I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
[...]
For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
[...]
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
================
Action Items for This Week:
1. Contemplative Practices Gathering: https://bit.ly/cc-cpg
2. Adoption Awareness Resources: https://communitychurch.hk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Positive-Adoption-Language.pdf
3. ROAD Through Revelation: https://communitychurch.hk/road-through-revelation
4. Questions on Revelation: https://bit.ly/cc-qa-be
================
General Links:
1. New to Community Church? Let us know: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
2. Join our WhatsApp Community: https://bit.ly/cchk-whatsapp
3. Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter (eGoodNews): https://bit.ly/cc-egn
4. Gifts and Offerings: https://communitychurch.hk/give
5. All Our Up-to-Date Links: https://bit.ly/cc-links
6. Serve @ Community Church: https://bit.ly/cchk-serve
================
Stay Connected with Us:
• Website: https://communitychurch.hk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communitychurchhongkong/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityChurchHongKong
From chaos to beauty, and brokenness to restoration. This is how Revelation reminds us to find hope as we reflect in our "Babylon." Just as God transformed the ancient city, He can bring beauty out of our brokenness. Let us trust in His redemptive power and embrace His promise of a new beginning. From Revelation 21:2, we read, "I saw the holy city—the new Jerusalem—descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.” Let's hold on to that hope, trust in God's love, and embrace the transformation He desires to bring into our lives.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
ABOUT BABYLON
// Revelation 18:1–3 (NET) //
After these things I saw another angel, who possessed great authority, coming down out of heaven, and the earth was lit up by his radiance. He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast. For all the nations have fallen from the wine of her immoral passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior.”
// Revelation 18:11–13 (NET) //
Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo any longer—cargo such as gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all sorts of things made of citron wood, all sorts of objects made of ivory, all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, perfumed ointment, frankincense, wine, olive oil and costly flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and four-wheeled carriages, slaves and human lives.
CALL TO THE CHURCH
// Revelation 18:4 (NET) //
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues...”
In the book of Revelation, we catch a glimpse of the future—the Day of the Lord: a time when His glory will be revealed, and every knee will bow before Him in awe and reverence. Let us meditate upon Revelation 15:4 with hearts filled with anticipation and hope, as it declares, "Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 6:9–11 (NIV) //
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.
In Revelation 13, we encounter the chilling concept of the unholy trinity—a deceptive alliance that seeks to oppose God's truth and authority. As we delve into this revelation, let us find solace and strength in the words of Isaiah 46:5 as it reminds us that there is no equal to our Almighty God. The verse reads: "To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!” Showing that our God stands unrivalled in power, wisdom, and sovereignty; and in the face of the unholy trinity's schemes, we can trust in the unchanging nature of our Heavenly Father.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 13 (NET) //
Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?” The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months. So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God—to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, those who dwell in heaven. The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. If anyone has an ear, he had better listen!
If anyone is meant for captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed by the sword,
then by the sword he must be killed.
This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.
Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon. He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed. He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived. The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast—that is, his name or his number. This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast’s number, for it is man’s number, and his number is 666.
This Sunday, Pastor Brenda will give a message of hope for us who continue to put our faith in God, and hold fast to Him. Be encouraged as she explores how we overcome through the blood of the Lamb. Colossians 2:15 gives us this assurance: "Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 12 (NET) //
Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. Now the dragon’s tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels. So that huge dragon—the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world—was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,
“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
the one who accuses them day and night before our God,
has been thrown down.
But they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea
because the devil has come down to you!
He is filled with terrible anger,
for he knows that he only has a little time!”
Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of—away from the presence of the serpent—for a time, times, and half a time. Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood, but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus. And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
This Sunday, we will embark on a journey with Christ where we are called to embrace the transformative process of dying to self and rising with Him. Let us explore the beauty of this journey together this Sunday with our guest speaker Jon Hori. Philippians 2:5 serves as a powerful reminder to adopt the mindset of Christ as it says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Philippians 2:1–18 (NIV) //
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Join us this Sunday as we delve into this profound paradox and discover the beauty of Jesus' nature. He is both the Lion of Judah—a symbol of strength, power, and kingship; and the Lamb of God—a symbol of gentleness, innocence, and sacrifice. Revelation 5:6 depicts the Lamb saying: "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 5 (NIV) //
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
This Sunday, we will continue exploring the significance of the throne at the centre of the universe. In Revelation 4:11, we see a glimpse of the heavenly realm, where praises resound before the majestic throne and the One seated on the throne is deserving of all glory, honour, and power. The verse reads, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 4 (NIV) //
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
This Sunday, we will look at the revelation of Jesus Christ and dive into understanding His divine presence while experiencing the transformative power of His love. In Revelation 1:17, we witness the breathtaking encounter between John and the risen Lord, who says to John: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” From this, we will learn how the revelation of Christ matters to our daily lives.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 1 (NIV) //
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
"Look, he is coming with the clouds,"
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."
So shall it be! Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
This Sunday, we arrive at the part of our series where we begin to dig into the book of Revelation. Join us then as we embark on a journey to discover how to read Revelation and uncover the profound message and timeless truths within it. Through the remaining weeks, we will see how Revelation, with the right approach, unveils to us its rich symbolism and relevance to our lives today. In Revelation 1:1, it says "The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Revelation 1:1–6 (NIV) //
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
This Sunday, we will look at how our God is not distant or indifferent; He is actively involved in our lives, extending His grace and guidance. In Genesis 9:1, we witness God's intervention as He blesses Noah and his family, setting the stage for a new beginning; as the passage goes: Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Genesis 11:1–9 (NET) //
The Dispersion of the Nations at Babel
The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.)Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building. And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them. Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”
So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why its name was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.
As we weather Super Typhoon Saola, we hope you are all staying safe and stocked up for the coming storm. We hope to be able to see you on Sunday, but remember to consistently check weather warnings to better understand the impact of the storm in relation to your travel routes. Nonetheless, this Sunday, we hope to kick off a new series that brings us to embrace our divine purpose! As Genesis 1:28 reminds us: God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV) //
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
This Sunday, we will talk about how, as we continue to navigate this world that encourages us to be self-centered, we can choose a different path: the path of living generously. Inspired by the words of 1 Timothy 6:18, let us then overflow with goodness, kindness, and a willingness to share. 1 Timothy 6:18 says, "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV) // Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
As we navigate in a world that can often feel chaotic and impersonal, we find a deep longing within us to be truly known and unconditionally loved. We yearn for someone to see us and understand our hearts, and this Sunday, we learn the incredible truth: that our Heavenly Father knows us intimately and loves us completely. As Psalm 139:1 reminds us, "O Lord, you have searched me and known me."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Psalm 139 (NIV) // For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
This Sunday, we will be learning how, as followers of Christ, we are bestowed with a unique freedom to care, especially as we are called to love one another, bear each other's burdens, and do good to all. As we prepare our hearts for the service, let us reflect on the words of Galatians 5:25, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 6:1-10 (NET) // Support One Another
Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else. For each one will carry his own load.
Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it. Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
What does it look like to love and serve one another in the midst of disagreements? Pastor Brenda will be tackling this topic today, giving us a message on the practical aspects of loving and relating to one another especially during disagreements and conflicts. Let us prepare our hearts by meditating on Romans 12:10, which tells us to "Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another," and pray for deeper a understanding as we study God's Word together.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 5:13-26 (NET) // Practice Love For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.
When we trust in Jesus Christ, we are no longer bound by the law and we are, instead, free to live our lives based upon following God's love. This freedom gives us the confidence to trust God with our lives, and know that He will never let us down. Galatians 3:11 says, "Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because 'the righteous will live by faith.'" Join us for a message on the freedom to be able to trust God this Sunday!
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 4:12-31 (NIV) // I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
We will be continuing our journey through Galatians this week as we look at how, in Christ, there is no distinction or discrimination based on race, social status, or gender. We are all equal and united in Christ, and as heirs of God's promise, we have the freedom to receive His blessings and grace. As we prepare our hearts for this message, let us be reminded and encouraged by Paul as he writes in Galatians 4:7: "So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 3:28–4:11 (NRSVUE) // There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than those who are enslaved, though they are the owners of all the property, but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental principles? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted.
This week, we dive into Galatians 3 where Paul writes that the law served as our guardian until Christ came, but now that Christ has come, we no longer require to be under the guardianship of the law. This means that we no longer have to live under the weight of perfectionism or legalism, or the constant striving towards impossible standards; and instead, we can trust in God's grace and know that we are justified by faith in Christ. As we prepare to understand the contours of the service and message, let us continue to reflect on Galatians 3:26, where the Bible reminds us, "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 3:15-27 (NIV) // Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Children of God
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
This Sunday, we will be looking into the freedom to believe—a precious gift that we should continue to cherish and defend. As we move deeper into Galatians, Paul reminds us that our faith in Christ is what saves us, not our works or adherence to the law; and certainly, we are justified by faith alone. As we look forward to continuing learning in this series, let us reflect on Galatians 3:2, which poses the question: "I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 3:1-14 (NIV) // You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
This week, we look into how we have the freedom to embrace. In Him, we are free to embrace our identity as children of God, to embrace our uniqueness as individuals, and to embrace everyone who are different from us. As we look forward to this weekend, let us meditate on the epiphany seen in Acts 10:45: "The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Galatians 2:11-21 (NIV) //
When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
This Sunday, God has the power to transform even the most unlikely of us and our ways of seeing. We all have the freedom to change, to grow, and to become the best versions of us. As Galatians 1:23 demonstrates through the words and life of the Apostle Paul “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Galatians 1:13-24 (NIV) //
For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.
Speaker - Pastor Brenda Loong
Join us today as we find out what it means to be “Free to Flourish,” with passages from Galatians 1:6-12 and Isaiah 52:7. We are journeying through Book of Galatians in our new sermon series, "Freedom," and discussing what it truly means to live a life of freedom in Christ. Let us reflect with Isaiah 52:7:
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Galatians 1:6-12 (NIV) //
No Other Gospel
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
We are looking forward to kicking off our upcoming sermon series, “Freedom,” with you in this service! Join us as we kick off with the topic of “Free to Live” where we explore the key ideas from Galatians 1:1-5 as we walk through the Book of Galatians and discussing what it truly means to live a life of freedom in Christ. In preparation for this journey, let us reflect at the very beginning with Galations 1:1, which says, "Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead..."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Galatians 1:1–5 (NIV) //
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In this week's Church Retreat-themed service, we will explore how God offers us refuge and safety in His unfailing love. Let us meditate on Psalm 91:2, which says, “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” as we continue to find shelter in God.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Psalm 91:1–2 (NIV) //
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
As we work to wrap out our series, "A Cruciform Life," we will conclude by looking at some of the questions that some of you have had after going through the series with us. As we prepare our hearts to receive from the service, let us be reminded of John 1:18, which says, "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 1:1 //
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This Easter Sunday, we carry on our "A Cruciform Life" series by seeing how knowing our resurrected King impacts the outlook and direction of our resurrected lives. Let us prepare for the anticipation of Easter Sunday by reflecting on John 11:25, where Jesus said to Mary, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// John 11:38-43 //
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
We continue our series, "A Cruciform Life", on this Palm Sunday and work towards better understanding how we can navigate this complex, interconnected world while keeping deep within us the knowledge that Jesus is King. In preparation for the message, let us meditate on Psalm 118:26, which says, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 19:30-34 //
"Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. I f anyone asks you, W' hy are you untying it?' say, "The Lord needs it.* Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They replied, "The Lord needs it."
Continuing on our sermon series, "A Cruciform Life", we work towards looking at what a Cross-centered life looks in our work lives. To prepare our hearts for the message from the service, we can meditate on Ephesians 6:11, which says, "Clothe yourselves with the full armour of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Colossians 1:15 //
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
We move forward in the series, "A Cruciform Life", by looking to reconcile the image of Christ on the Cross and the acts of violence in the Old Testament. As we continue to meditate on these topics, let us reflect on Luke 24:27, which says, "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================
This Week's Scripture:
// Luke 4:17-19 //
...and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
We continue in our series, "A Cruciform Life", by keeping our focus on the Cross and working to learn of the beautiful gospel that Christ left with us. As we ready our hearts and set our hearts to follow this Sunday, let us reflect on John 1:1, which says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// John 1:14–18 //And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
As we looking deeper into living "A Cruciform Life", we will investigate those times when God may be misunderstood as an angry—even monstrous—God who commands eradication of peoples amongst other things. Yet, in this service, we will learn that perhaps things are not as they seem, especially as we take a moment to reflect on 1 John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Let us work to better grasp these questions and begin to formulate our own responses in ways that mature us still further in our walk with our Lord.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Hosea 6:6 //For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
As we being our journey through Lent and reflect on the work of our Lord for us, we also began a new series called "A Cruciform Life". This week, we will look into the one understanding that anchors not just the series but the way we should live our lives: that God was crucified for our sakes. As we prepare for this week's service, let us reflect on 1 Corinthians 2:2, which says, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 //All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who knew no sin to be sinb on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Moving into the month of February, we discuss this week about how, sometimes, it is religion itself that gets in the way of faith. As we look forward to this week's service then, let us consider the words in Romans 13:10, which says, "Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// John 3:1–3 //Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
As we move into the first full week of this Lunar New Year, we look into a topic that is close to the heart of the church and our culture: authentic community. As we prepare for this week's service, let us meditate on 1 John 3:17, "But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Hebrews 10:19-25 //Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
As we look forward to the meeting on the first day of the Year of the Rabbit, we continue in our current series by looking at family, and how we might bring them into the fold. In preparing for the service, let us ready our hearts with 1 John 4:12, "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Philippians 3:7-14 //But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Moving deeper into our series, "A Bigger Table," we look this week at what it means to be focused on the gospel in our lives. As we prepare our hearts for the service, let us take in the words of our Lord from Matthew 9:12b, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Matthew 9:9-13 //As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
On the second Sunday of the new year, we look to see the breadth of God's invitation for all to partake in his kingdom. As we seek to understand the invitation, let us meditate on Matthew 22:14 and what it encompasses: "For many are called, but few are chosen."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Matthew 22:1-14 //
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
As we begin a new year, this week we also begin a new sermon series, "A Bigger Table" where we will be exploring what it means to build a hopeful and authentic spiritual community.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Romans 12:9-10 //Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.
We will be having one service this Christmas Day and in it we will be reflecting on Christ, the foundation of our faith. As we conclude Advent, may we reflect on the heart of Christ as shared by Philippians 2:7: Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Galatians 4:4-5 //But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.
We are one week away from Christmas itself, and with that, this week emphasises love in this Advent season. As we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Saviour, let us prepare our hearts for this week's service by reflecting on John 1:14, which teaches, "Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Hebrews 2:17-18 //Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
We enter the second week of Advent with a service on peace. As we continue in our series, The Good Stuff, Pastor Wade will look at how Christ is our Prince of Peace and how we can take this to heart as believers to find peace in troubled times. Let us reflect on the words of Colossians 3:15, for this week, which says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================This Week's Scripture:// Isaiah 9:6-7 //For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
We begin the Advent season with a series called "The Good Stuff" and start by looking at hope. Pastor Wade walks us through what hope looks like for Christians, especially as we look forward to the coming of our Saviour. As we wait, may we set our hearts to Hebrews 11:1, which says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see...”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Hebrews 6:19-20 // We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
In the last sermon of "The Jesus Way" series, Pastor Wade looks into perhaps one of the most difficult examples to follow from Jesus: to love our enemies. In preparing our hearts, let us reflect on Jesus's words in Matthew 5:44, when he teaches, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 5:43-48 // “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
In the penultimate week of "The Jesus Way" series, Pastor Brenda teaches on how we are to speak truth, especially in times when it's difficult to do so. Indeed, Jesus himself demonstrates this in an extremely pressing time in John 18:37b, as he is confronted by Pilate, declaring, “For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // John 16:7–11 // But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment–concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
In Week 6 of "The Jesus Way" series, Pastor Wade will speak on how we are to deal with offence, especially as Christians who are called more to unity than uniformity. In learning on how to deal with offence, we turn to Matthew 5:39b, which says, “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 5:38-42 // “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Week 5 of our "The Jesus Way" series sees Pastor Wade share on the true source of our power and where we can put our confidence. Indeed, a great him to the source of our power can be found in meditating on John 13:14 (NIV), where Jesus says, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // John 13:14-17 // When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
At the midway point of our "The Jesus Way" series, Pastor Wade will speak on how we minister in the margins of society. More, he will also look at how the margins minister to us and brings us closer to the heart of God. In preparation for this week's message, we will be meditating on John 8:11b (NIV), where Jesus says to the woman caught in adultery: “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // John 8:1-11 // Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
In the third week of our "The Jesus Way" series, Pastor Wade will share about what bringing heaven to earth looks like by asking the question of whether the goal of the church is "unity" or "uniformity". In preparation for this week's message, let us reflect on Romans 14:10, which checks our hearts by asking: “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Romans 14:1-5 // Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.
As we move into the second week of our "The Jesus Way" series, we will hear from Pastor Brenda about being filled by the Holy Spirit and what a life that is empowered by him looks like. As we look forward to seeing practical means to live and work alongside the Holy Spirit, let us reflect on and open our hearts to John 20:21–22, which recounts: “So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.' And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Luke 4:14-21 // The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me To proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
We will be kicking off a new series this week called "The Jesus Way." In the service, Pastor Wade will look into Jesus's time in the wilderness and draw from that a practical means to grow our own faith. As we prepare to hear this sermon, let us meditate on Jesus's words in Matthew 18:3: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Luke 4:1–13 // Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
This week, we will wrap up our Why Do We ____? series as Pastor Wade dives into the question of why we give. To prepare our hearts, let us meditating on the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 6:19-24 // Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
This week, we will wrap up our Why Do We ____? series as Pastor Wade dives into the question of why we give. To prepare our hearts, let us meditating on the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 6:19-24 // Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
In the second week of our Why Do We ____? series, Pastor Wade will look into the question of why we serve. Let us prepare our hearts by meditating on John 12:26, which says, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 14:15-21 // As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
In the second week of our Why Do We ____? series, Pastor Wade will look into the question of why we serve. Let us prepare our hearts by meditating on John 12:26, which says, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 14:15-21 // As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
We will kicking off our 3-week sermon series called Why Do We ____? And starting us off this week is Pastor Wade, who looks into why—as a church—we gather physically in fellowship. We can prepare our hearts for this week's message by looking into 1 John 1:3-4, which says, "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Hebrews 10:24-25 // And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We will kicking off our 3-week sermon series called Why Do We ____? And starting us off this week is Pastor Wade, who looks into why—as a church—we gather physically in fellowship. We can prepare our hearts for this week's message by looking into 1 John 1:3-4, which says, "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Hebrews 10:24-25 // And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We will be rounding out our sermon series, Summer Storytime, with Pastor Brenda preaching on that time when Jesus turned water into wine at the Wedding in Cana. Let us prepare our hearts by meditating on John 2:11, which goes, "Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // John 2:6-11 // Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did. When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!” Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
This Sunday, guest speaker Andrew Rigden Green will be sharing from the Book of Jonah as we journey through our series, Summer Storytime. We can prepare our hearts for the message by meditating on Acts 10:34-35, which says, "God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Acts 10:34-35 // God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
This week, we will be hearing from guest speaker Kwen Ip who will be sharing about Ruth and the concept of "hesed". We will continue our journey through our series, Summer Storytime, as we learn the character of God from Ruth. As we approach Sunday, let us meditate on Ruth 1:16a, where Ruth declares, "Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Ruth 1:16-17 // But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.
This Sunday, Joe Kwan continues the Summer Storytime series and shares a message on freedom as well as how we are no longer slaves as Christ followers. While we prepare our hearts for Sunday, let us reflect on how the Israelites were grumbling in Numbers 14:3 with the words, "Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Numbers 13:30-14:4 // Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
We will be blessed this Sunday by a message from Steve Hackman, who will speak on why we, as Christians, tend to forget that God is like Jesus and how that impacts our faith. As we look to Sunday, let us take a moment to reflect on Galatians 4:6, which reminds us that, "because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 4:4–7 // But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.
This Sunday marks the conclusion of our "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series as Pastor Wade wraps it all up with a recap and responses to questions from the community. As we look forward to this Sunday, let us take a moment to remember John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // John 3:16 // For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
This Sunday, Pastor Wade will dive deep into the teaching of salvation as we begin to wrap up our series "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)". How we understand salvation is important to how we live our lives and what we believe our purposes are. Thus, as we look forward to the service, let us reflect on the conviction in Matthew 12:37, which says, "For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 12:35-37 // A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
This week, after the long weekend, Pastor Wade teaches on God's upside down kingdom as we extend the "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series. Through the service, we will tackle the issue of what "hell" is scripturally. Looking forward, let us reflect on Luke 16:31, which teaches this profound wisdom that: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Luke 16:19-31 // There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, "Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire."
But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."
He answered, "Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."
Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."
"No, father Abraham," he said, "but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent."
He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
This Sunday, Pastor Wade will teach on the mission of the church as we follow along our "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series. Through the service, we will see that we are called to be witnesses and understand to what we are witnesses to. Looking forward, let us meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:17, which declares, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // 1 Corinthians 15:58 // Therefore, my beloved,[n] be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
This week, Pastor Wade looks into the topic of hell and judgment as we continue our "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series. We will discover why judgment is necessary and what hell actually is according to the Bible. As we look forward to this, let us reflect on Colossians 1:20a, which reveals, "Through [Christ] God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things…"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Colossians 1:19-20 // For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
This Sunday, Pastor Brenda continues the "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series by talking about creation care and how we, as Christians, have a responsibility to the planet we inhabit. Let us prepare our hearts for the message as we reflect on Genesis 2:15, which says, "The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Psalm 24:1 // The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it...
This Sunday, Pastor Brenda carries on our "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" series by looking at vocation—and how we were made for it. Through the long weekend, may we ponder on Revelation 5:10, which says, "You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Genesis 1:26-29 // Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”
God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”
This Sunday, we continue our sermon series, "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)," and look at sin and salvation—and how that all fits in to how we live our lives in the present while working towards bringing heaven to earth. As we prepare our hearts, let us ponder on 2 Corinthians 5:20, which says, "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 // Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This Sunday, Pastor Wade continues our series, "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)," by talking about new creation—and especially our roles in that. Let us reflect on Romans 8:18-19 as we prepare our hearts for the service: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Revelation 21:1-5 // I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
This Sunday, Pastor Wade kicks off our new sermon series titled, "Heaven & Hell (and everything in between)" by looking at what the Bible actually speaks most about: heaven and earth. As we look towards Sunday, let us pray Matthew 6:9-10 as Jesus teaches us: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Revelation 21:1-5 //
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Pastor Brenda closes out the "Three Essential Prayers" series by looking at prayers of praise for God, and how that enables us to live a life that is brimming in confidence. As we prepare for Sunday, let us reflect on Psalm 145:1-2, which proclaims, "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Psalm 145:3-7 //
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
This Sunday, Pastor Wade continues the "Three Essential Prayers" series by looking at prayers of thanks". We will learn how cultivating gratitude brings about a change in us that draws us closer to the heart of God. As we look forward to meeting together again, let us reflect on Psalm 100:1-2, which says, "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Psalm 100:1-5 // Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
As we return to in-person services this Sunday, Pastor Wade will kick off our new 3-week series, "Three Essential Prayers" by looking into prayers of "help". As we celebrate being able to meet again, let us also take a moment to reflect on our own through Psalm 86:1, which sees the appeal, "Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scripture: // Psalm 86:1-3 // Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.
In this Easter Sunday service, Pastor Wade will look into what Jesus meant when he declared, "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" and what it means for our lives to know that Christ is risen. As we reflect throughout this Holy Week, may we also take a moment to reflect on John 11:25, where Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scriptures: // John 11:25-26 // Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
In this Palm Sunday podcast, Pastor Brenda looks into Jesus as "the True Vine" and how that requires shifts in our attitudes and behaviours. The sermon will look at what it means to bear good fruit and what it takes to bear it. As we preparing our hearts for this service, let us reflect on John 15:1-2, where Jesus declares, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scriptures: // John 15:1-8 // “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is honoured by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples.
In this week's podcast, Pastor Wade will extend on some of the themes from last week by looking at Jesus as "the Good Shepherd". Understanding how he is a good shepherd gives us perspective on God's love for us and, more importantly, strengthens our reliance on Christ. In preparing for this Sunday, let us reflect on John 10:11, where Jesus reminds us, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scriptures: // John 10:11-18 // “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
In this service, Pastor Wade continues in the citywide Lent series by looking at Jesus as "the Gate" and how that pertains to our salvation—as well as what it means to be "saved". As we prepare for this coming Sunday, let us reflect on John 10:9, where Jesus declares, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture."
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scriptures: // John 10:1-10 // “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
In this service, Pastor Wade will cover the third sermon in our citywide Lent series, "The 7 I AM Statements." In this teaching on Jesus being the way, the truth and the life; we will learn how to find the abundant life that Christ gave to each of us. In preparing ourselves, let us reflect on John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect
You can also find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links
You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/
================ This Week's Scriptures: // John 14:1-7 // “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
In today's service, Pastor Brenda will continues the citywide Lent series, "The 7 I AM Statements" by looking at Jesus as the light of the world. Through it, we will look at how knowing that Jesus is the light shifts our perspective by reminding us that Jesus is close to us, always. In preparing ourselves, let us reflect on John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke out again, 'I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"
In this sermon, Pastor Wade kicks off the citywide Lent series, "The 7 I AM Statements" by looking at Jesus's declaration that he is the bread of life. We will look at how that understanding helps our relationship with Jesus and how we can take steps to let that sink into our lives. In preparing ourselves, let us reflect on John 6:35, "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'"