PBCC Sermons: Recent Episodes
Peninsula Bible Church Cupertino
Peninsula Bible Church Cupertino seeks to be a worshipping community. We strive to be a place where people can grow in Christ through truth and authentic relationships and have opportunities to love the world both locally and globally. Our core values include expository preaching, discipleship, ministry of the saints, shared stories, and living the new covenant where the resources to live the Christian life come from God and not from ourselves.
Music: Drew Hsi and TeamHost: Christine KoehnMessage: John Hanneman
“Blessings”Ephesians 1:3-14
Call to Worship: Psalm 34:1-3 (ESV)1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NIV)5 This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Sermon Text: Ephesians 1:3-14 (ESV)3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Sermon Questions
Sunday, January 14, 2024Music: Lucinda and Ben King and TeamHost: Bernard BellMessage: Eugene Kwon
Call to Worship: Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:33-40 (NIV)33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.40 How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.
Sermon Text: Acts 2:41-42a (NIV)41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching […]
Sermon Questions
Sunday, January 7, 2024Music: Kevin Patao and TeamHost: Becca SingleyMessage: Eugene Kwon
“Knowing Jesus & Making Him Known”Selected Texts from Acts 2:1-41
AnnouncementsEvery Sunday: Sunday AM Prayer Meeting 8:30amEvery Sunday: Body Life in Mandarin 10:30amEvery 2nd/4th Sunday: Church-Wide Prayer 7amEvery Wednesday: Intercessory Prayer 6:30am (Zoom)Jan 7th: Life Together: “What is the Gospel?” Second ServiceJan 26th-Jan 28th: Women’s Retreat
Call to Worship: Psalm 9:1-2, 13:5-6 (NIV)9:1 I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.13:5 […] I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.6 I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Sermon Text: Selected Texts from Acts 2:1-41 (NIV)Sermon Questions
“As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God” Psalm 42:1
Call to Worship: Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV)Scripture Reading: Psalm 63 (The Message)Antiphons*O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,reaching from one end to the other mightilyand sweetly ordering all things:Come and teach us the way of prudence.
O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bushand gave him the law on Sinai:Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.
O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the people;before you kings will shut their mouths,to you the nations will make their prayer:Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.
O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel,you open and no one can shut;you shut and no one can open:Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,those who dwell in darkness and shadow of death.
O Dayspring,splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousnessCome and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and theshadow of death.
O King of the nations and their desire,the cornerstone making both one:Come and save the human race, Which you fashioned from clay.
O Emmanuel, our King and our lawgiver,the hope of the nations and their Saviour:Come to save us, O Lord our God.
*Translated from Latin by Malcolm Guite
Call to Worship: Psalm 33:1-3, 20-22 (NIV)
Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-38 (NIV)22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 47:1-2, 5-7 & Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
Sermon Text: Luke 2:1-20 (ESV)I. The Context (v 1-9)1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
II. The Staggering Good News (v 10-14)10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
III. The Response (v 15-20)15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Sermon Questions
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 80 (ESV)
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Sermon Reading: Isaiah 64:1-7 (ESV)1Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—2 as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence!3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.4 From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear,no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you;for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-80 (ESV)67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,might serve him without fear,75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Call to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 34:1-3 (ESV)1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Sermon Reading: Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 (The Message)2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light!3 You repopulated the nation, you expanded its joy. Oh, they’re so glad in your presence! Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
6 For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us! He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. 7 His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings. He’ll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going With fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do all this.
Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-55 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;53 he has filledthe hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 139:1-6 (NLT)1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
Sermon Reading and Text: John 21 (ESV)I. The Return to Fishing (1-3)1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
II. The Appearance (4-8)4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
III. The Charcoal Fire (9-14)9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
IV. The Past Rewritten (15-19)15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
V. The Sideways Look (20-25)20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 92:1-2,4 (NLT)1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
Sermon Text: Luke 24:13-35 (ESV)13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Psalm 33:1-4 (ESV)
1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 61 (Adapted ESV) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
Sermon Text: Isaiah 54:1-3 (ESV)1 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities…”
Questions to Think AboutWhat role does hope play in your life? Do you ever allow yourself to dream? What do you really long for?How have your longings changed or deepened over time?What are the two promises God promised Abraham and fulfilled in Jesus?The gift of: The gift of: Think of a time when you have experienced disappointment, loss, or a sense of abandonment? Does Israel’s complaint resonate with you? But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” (Isa 49:14)What areas of your life might the label “barren,” “unfulfilled,” or “desolate” apply to?barren (infertile, unable to conceive life, efforts wasted) unfulfilled (never having had the opportunities I longed for) desolate (ravaged, overrun, shunned by others) Have you seen God work through any of these areas of weakness to produce fruit in your life and the lives of others? How? What are the four necessary steps to renewing hope (like kindling a fire)?The only lasting foundation of hope is… The way to ignite hope is…The way to nurture and fuel hope is…I need to embrace hope by… Of those four steps, which ones are you deficient in?What practical steps can you take today to renew your hope? From Isaiah’s vision, what are the visible signs that someone is living with renewed hope?Before retiring tonight, read Isaiah 49:14-23. What stirs you as you read this vision again? PBCC Nov 12, 2023 Great Expectations: Isaiah 54-55
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Adapted from Psalm 72 (NIV)
Sermon QuestionsEndow the king with your justice, O God,the royal son with your righteousness.May he judge your people in righteousness,your afflicted ones with justice.May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,the hills the fruit of righteousness.May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy;may he crush the oppressor.May his name endure forever;may it continue as long as the sun.Then all nations will be blessed through him,and they will call him blessed.Praise be to the LORD God,who alone does marvelous deeds.Praise be to his glorious name forever;may the whole earth be filled with his glory.Amen and Amen.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:1-5 (NIV)1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 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.3 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.
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.5 But 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.
Sermon Text: John 20:19-23 (ESV)I. The Mission Given (v 19-21)19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
II. The Mission’s Empowerment (v 22-23)22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
III. Implications
PersonPosturePatternPeace&Participation!
Call to Worship: Psalm 105:1-5, 8, 45b (NIV)
1 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name make known among the nations what he has done.2 Sing to him, sing praise to him tell of all his wonderful acts.3 Glory in his holy name let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.4 Look to the LORD and his strength seek his face always.5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.
8 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations.
45 Praise the LORD!
Scripture Reading: John 20:1-10 (ESV)1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Sermon Text: John 20:11-18 (ESV)I. The Angels (v 11-12)11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
II. The Gardener (v 13-15)13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
III. The Commissioning (v 16-18)16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
IV. The Implications
The Presence of JesusThe Power of GriefThe Point is JesusThe People of God Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Psalm 22:22, 24, 27-28 (Adapted from the NLT)
22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people…
24 For you have not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. You have not turned your back on them, but have listened to their cries for help…
27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
28 For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations.
Scripture Reading: Hebrews: 1b-2 (ESV)1bLet us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Sermon Text: John 20:1-10 (ESV)I. To the Tomb (v 1-2)
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
II. Inside the Tomb (v 3-7)
3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
III. Belief at the Tomb (v 8-10)
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes
Call to Worship: Psalm 148:1-6,13 (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above.2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts.3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created,6 and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
Scripture and Sermon Text: John 19:16b-42 (ESV)The Crucifixion16bSo they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,“They divided my garments among them,and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
The Death of Jesus28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus’ Side Is Pierced31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
Jesus Is Buried38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Call to Worship: The Lord’s PrayerOur 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,For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,Now and forever.
Amen.
Scripture and Sermon Text: John 18:28-19:16 (ESV)A. Outside Pilate’s Headquarters (18:28-32)
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
B. Inside (18:33-38a)33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
C. Outside (18:38b-40)
After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
X. Inside Jesus Crowned (19:1-3)
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.
C’. Outside (19:4-8)
4Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
B’. Inside (19:9-12)
9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” 12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
A.’ Outside (19:13-16)
13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
Sermon Questions
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: Psalm 100 (various verses)Speaker 1: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before himwith joyful songs.
Speaker 2: 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.
Speaker 1: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Speaker 2: For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Both: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Scripture Reading, Sermon Text: Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property on wild things comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Call to Worship: Psalm 67 (NIV)Leader:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
People: and make his face shine on us—
Leader:2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
People: your salvation among all nations.
Leader:3 May the peoples praise you, God;
People: may all the peoples praise you.
Leader:4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
People: for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.
Leader:5 May the peoples praise you, God;
People: may all the peoples praise you.
Leader:6 The land yields its harvest;
People: God, our God, blesses us.
Leader:7 May God bless us still,
People: so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Scripture Reading: John 10:11-18 (NIV)11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 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. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 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. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 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.”
Sermon Text: John 10:16 (NIV)16 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.
Call to Worship: Isaiah 55:6-9 (NLT)6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Scripture Reading: John 1:1, 14, 16-18 (ESV)1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Sermon Text: John 18:12-27 (ESV)I. The Interrogation of Jesus #1 (v 12-14)
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
II. The Interrogation of Peter #1 (v 15-18)
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
III. The Interrogation of Jesus #2 (v 19-24)
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
IV. The Interrogation of Peter #2 (v 25-27)
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
Call to Worship: Isaiah 43:1-3a (NLT)1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Scripture Reading: John 10:11-18 (ESV)11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Sermon Text: John 18:1-12 (ESV)I. The Context (v 1-3)1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
II. The I AM (v 4-9)4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
III. The Cup (v 10-11)10Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
IV. The Arrest (12)12So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.
Key Takeaways1. We know who is in charge.2. We know he watches out for those he loves.3. We know this is the will of Jesus’ Father.4. We know who it is who is going to the cross.
Sermon Questions
Hebrews 5:11-6:3 Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of summer. But many students have been back to school for a while already. Some may have found that they had regressed over the summer, and had to get back in the groove of learning. We expect students to progress from learning the ABCs all the way to advanced topics. The Christian life is also a school in which we are expected to advance from infancy to maturity, from milk to solid food.
The psalmist cried to the Lord in his distress, and he was heard. Jonah cried to the Lord from the belly of the fish, and he was heard. Jesus cried to the Lord, and he died. But his reverent submission spoke from the grave, and was heard. Now we hear his voice and submit in obedience, finding thereby eternal salvation.
Heb 4:14-16 Good help is hard to find, so the saying goes. The psalmist looked to the hills as he asked, “Where does my help come from?” He then answered his own question: My help comes from the Lord (Ps 121:1-2). Where do we look for help, especially during our spiritual journey? Our text tells us we can find timely help because we have a great high priest. We can boldly approach the eternal throne.
The ancient Collect for Purity prayed early in the Eucharist service of the Book of Common Prayer begins thus: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid. Is that a comforting thought or a scary thought? David wrote, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me,” then he dared to ask God to do so again: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Ps 139:1, 23). God’s living, powerful word penetrates into our deepest being, exposing us before his gaze. Will we survive his examination? Do we want him to know our heart?
Entering into Gods Rest Summer is almost over and, with it, the end of R&R, rest and relaxation. Soon we’ll be back to work, whether in the classroom or office, real or virtual, or in some other space doing “real” work with our hands. What is rest? Is it a state of mind, or a place, or a particular day? Technically, it’s the complete lack of motion, but that doesn’t sound very attractive. In this week’s passage from Hebrews the phrase “enter into God’s rest” occurs eight times. What is this rest? Where, when, and how do we enter it? And what is this rest like when we are there?
Jeremiah 18:1-12 ESV During the days of Jeremiah the prophet, God’s people had turned away from the Lord. Their gaze had fallen on worthless idols, forsaking living water for broken cisterns that could hold no water. And yet God kept reaching out, urging his people to return to him. On several occasions God used visible illustrations to get his people’s attention. One such illustration was the potter and the clay. This week we will reflect on what Jeremiah saw when one day God told him to go down to the potter’s house.
Hebrews 3:7-19 God delivered his people from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt. Their destination was Mt Sinai, to meet with the Lord, then the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. But at every step of the way the people were afraid: of Pharaoh and his army, of hunger, of thirst, of giants in the Land, even of the Lord. They kept thinking they were going to die. God brought them to the edge of the Land, but they refused to enter. They wanted to go back to Egypt, redefining it as the land flowing with milk and honey. They never got there because they died in the wilderness under God’s judgment. The Christian life is a journey, as allegorized in Pilgrim’s Progress. We are easily beset with fears which test our faith. We don’t make this journey alone; we travel together, encouraging one another.
Hebrews 3:1-6 (NIV) We return to the Book of Hebrews for seven weeks this summer. The author repeatedly presents Christ Before Us. He is to be the object of our attention: “take a good hard look at Jesus” (3:1 The Message). Where is he? He has gone before us into the very presence of God where he now ministers as our great High Priest on our behalf. Therefore we can boldly approach the eternal throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace.
We live an exchanged life, Jesus’ life for ours. Kingdom living is a life of learning to think and act and love like Jesus. I look forward to being with you this Sunday as we follow Jesus’ model and methods for discipleship as well as anticipate barriers and thorns that could inhibit our growth.
Philemon Homecomings are often cause for celebration – a reunion with a family member or friend who you haven’t seen in a long time. Other times the person who is returning may be the last person you were expecting or wanting to see, as was likely the case with the person delivering the letter Paul had written to Philemon. Sometimes it’s not just an unwanted person, but it’s the full impact of the gospel that’s knocking at the door.
Colossians 4:7-18 Never before, in the history of humanity, had a more diverse group of people gathered and been welcomed, loved, and accepted than the early Christian church. This quote comes from a recent episode of frequent Christianity Today contributor Russell Moores podcast. Who said it? The answer may surprise you! Join us this Sunday for our final sermon in our series on Colossians; find out who spoke these words about the early Christian church and how they can become true of the modern Christian church as well.
Psalm 23 To live a life following Jesus, we have to know and trust Him. Join us this Sunday as we walk through Psalm 23, reminding ourselves of who our God is as our shepherd, how he walks with us through every season of life, and why we should put our trust in him.
Colossians 4:5-6 Before He ascended to the Right Hand of God, Christ promised His disciples: In a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. [...] You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses (Acts 1:5, 8). This promise was fulfilled ten days later -- the fiftieth after Easter -- on the day we now call Pentecost. Join us this Sunday as we commemorate the outpouring of the Spirit -- and consider how the Spirit is empowering us to be Christs witnesses, too!
Colossians 4:3-4 Beloved Christian author Henri Nouwen observed that most Christian leadership is exercised by people who do not know how to develop healthy, intimate relationships and have opted for power and control instead. It is a commentary as accurate as it is unfortunate, one made even more tragic by its contrast with the leadership exercised by the Apostle Paul. Pauls leadership was characterized by a relational vulnerability that invited those he led into his hopes, wants, and needs -- but also into his ministry. Join us as we listen in on Pauls conversation with the Colossian believers and consider how to support our own leaders. Eugene Kwon teaches, Hae-Rin Kwon hosts, and Ben and Lucinda King and Team lead us in worship.
Colossians 4:2 What do you call a running sleepwalker? Fast asleep! Have you ever felt like you were running through your day spiritually fast asleep? Join us this Sunday as we hear the alarm bells ring in the Apostle Pauls letter to the Colossians.
Call to Worship: Revelation 22:12-13, 17, 20 (NIV)Leader: 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
People:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Leader: 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Everyone:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NIV)29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Sermon Questions
Exodus 33:1-16We were made for the active presence of God and to walk in the ways of God, that we might be distinct among all the peoples of the earth. It turns out that the presence of God is perhaps the central motif in all of scripture, and we cannot know the active presence of God in our lives if we are inattentive to the ways of God. The two go together. It is both the active presence and the ways of God that make us distinct from the world around us. So, we should be appropriately “desperate” to know God’s presence. Join us this Sunday as we hear from George Guthrie, professor of New Testament, Regent College (Vancouver, British Columbia).
Call to Worship: Psalm 22:22-25, 27 (NIV)22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:26-4:7 (NIV)26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
4 1What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Sermon Questions
Call to Worship: Psalm 8 (NIV)1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 (NIV)Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Sermon Questions
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalms 118:26a (NLT)9 Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.10 I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, and your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
26a Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: John 14:15-21, 23 NIV (Adapted from NIV)15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them…”
23 …“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 17This Sunday, we return to John 17 for the second of four Sundays. This is some of the most sacred space in all of the universe as we listen to Jesus, the Son of God, open his heart to God the Father. Here, the incarnate God prays to God! It is indeed sacred space! And, as we did last Sunday, we will once again listen to Jesus pray while asking the question, “What does Jesus desire? Join us this Sunday as we continue our exploration of this magnificent text.
John 17This Sunday, we will enter back into the Gospel of John, in the ever-growing shadow of the cross. We will spend the next four Sundays listening to Jesus pray for us in John 17. This chapter has been given many names through the years from “The High Priestly Prayer” to “The Holy of Holies” to “The Conversation at the Center of the Universe.” Regardless of what we call it, it is this text where we hear the deepest desires of Jesus’ heart, prayed the night before he goes to the cross. This is indeed holy ground. Join us this Sunday as we begin our exploration of this magnificent text.
Ephesians 2:13-22Despite the challenges that the church has faced over the centuries, it has survived since its inception on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all those who became followers of Jesus. Today there are many challenges that face churches and church leaders. Even though people still seek a spiritual life, they are becoming disillusioned with the church and organized religion. So how can the church overcome these difficulties and continue to be what God intended?
Sermon QuestionsCall to Worship: Philippians 2:5-11 NLT5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
Colossians 3:18-21In an age when religious leaders only had time for the grown-ups, Christ instructed His disciples: Let the little children come to Me! And with that simple command, He taught us what it means to raise our children -- and how we grown-ups ought to come to Him as well. The Apostle Paul relayed this teaching to the believers in Colossae; come join us this Sunday as we take a look at what he had to say to the children of God, whatever their age!
Colossians 3:15-16In the classic musical The Sound of Music, newly-installed governess Maria -- loosely based on the historical Maria Von Trapp -- discovers that her task of teaching those in her care is better accomplished with a little music. Nineteen centuries prior, the Apostle Paul came to the same conclusion, even elevating singing to the level of teaching and admonishing as a means of filling our hearts with the Word of Christ! Join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at this wonderful tool God has given us to hold onto the truth of Christ that sets us free.
Colossians 3:15In John 17:21, Christ prayed to His Father that His disciples -- across the world and throughout time -- may all be one [...] that the world may believe that you have sent me. Christ prayed for unity to be a defining characteristic of the Church, and His Holy Spirit empowers it -- but how? Come join us this Sunday as we continue our study of Colossians and practice the unity we have as the Body of Christ during a time of Body Life.
Colossians 3:5-11Forgiveness is a virtue many of us strive for our lives but have difficulty attaining; though we know God has called us to it in Christ, instinct tells us that survival in a world of scarcity cannot afford luxuries like mercy and grace. So how do we overcome this instinct and the competitive, adversarial current of the world and become a forgiving people? Come find out as we continue our study of the Apostle Pauls Letter to the Colossians.
Colossians 3:5-11In his 1977 album, The Rambler, legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash criticized a certain attitude he witnessed in the Church: Youre shining your light and shine it you should / But youre so heavenly minded, youre no earthly good. Perhaps we understand his point -- but is it true? Is it possible to be so heavenly minded that we become no earthly good? Join us this Sunday as we see how being heavenly minded can actually give us the freedom to become who we were always meant to be -- and to be truly good for the world.
Colossians 3:1-4Its been said that metaphor is the language of faith -- its hard to imagine how could we speak of divine, transcendent realities without using metaphors! But does that mean that everything we read in the Bible is a metaphor? When the Apostle Paul wrote that we have been raised with Christ, was that just a metaphor? Or was it a literal promise waiting to be fulfilled? And if it is a literal promise, what difference does that make in our lives? Join us this Sunday as we sort the literal from the metaphor and rediscover another corner piece truth from the Letter to the Colossians.
Colossians 3:1-4Its the new year...isnt it? Or, a few days in, has the newness already worn off? The way life comes at us these days, it wouldnt be surprising if that were the case for many of us. For many of us, it hasnt taken long for the new year to fill the tables of our lives with puzzles to solve. And the question is: Where do we begin? How do we bring the pieces of our lives together, to make it all fit? Join us this Sunday as we return to the Apostle Pauls Letter to the Colossians and set our minds on Gods corner piece truths.
John 16:29-33 This Sunday we return to the Gospel of John where we find ourselves at the end of the main section of the upper room discourse. Those first disciples will have their worlds turned upside-down in only a few hours, so Jesus wants to encourage them. He tells them that even though they will face hardship, they can be assured that he has - and will - overcome the world. For us today in the midst of hardship, Jesus has overcome, is on the throne of the universe and is coming back one day. So we can have courage to live the Jesus way now, because the future is not up for grabs. Jesus has overcome!
Luke 10:38-42 How Jesus calls us to allow him to minister to us, to be in a position of replenishing our souls. Mary and Martha. Will close as helping people to see this as an invitation from the Lord, not a slap on the hand.
John 16:16-28 As we have been walking through the upper room discourse in John, we’ve spent much of our time learning about the Holy Spirit, the one whom Jesus calls the Paraclete. As Jesus brings his discourse to a close, he spends considerable time sharing about two great gifts the Holy Spirit brings: joy and peace. In our text this week, Jesus says that our sorrow will be transformed into joy, and no one will take this joy from us. What incredible words! Where in your life has the Spirit given you joy, maybe even through sorrow or in the midst of sorrow? At the end of our service, we will have a time of Body Life, so we can hear how the Spirit is working in you, the PBCC body, right now.
John 16:1-15 As we continue our studies in the Upper Room Discourse, this weeks text is a continuation from last week. Jesus re-states his comments about the persecution his disciples will receive from the world simply because they abide in him. And, in the midst of this persecution, Jesus says the Holy Spirit will continue to work by convicting the world and by helping his disciples. Join us as we hear Jesus give more clarification regarding the Spirit and the world.
John 15:17-27 Here in the west, we mostly live to be comfortable. In this week’s text from the upper room discourse, we find Jesus describing life along his way as anything but comfortable. In fact, he says that life along his way will be characterized by being hated and being persecuted. So, how will we make it along his way? With the help of the blessed paraclete. Join us this Sunday as we return to more teaching about our friend, the paraclete.
John 15:1-11 We will continue our studies in the Gospel of John this Sunday, where we will explore a text that sits at the very center of our faith. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this text for understanding the nature of our faith. Join us on Sunday as we discover what it means to be in Jesus, what it means to abide and what it means to bear fruit. And, we will have a dramatic recitation of this wonderful text by Jeremy Jones.
John 14:25-31 This Sunday, we return to the Gospel of John where Jesus will teach us more about the Holy Spirit. Here at PBCC, one of our family values is Life in the Spirit.” On our website, we say the Spirit is who connects us to Jesus, enables us to know him and empowers us to make him known.” After exploring this text, we may need to re-word that description because the Spirit is doing much more than what we have listed there. Join us Sunday as we learn more about the ministry and effect of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 120 Psalm 120 is the first in a collection of psalms (120-134) known as the “Songs of Ascent.” These songs were gathered together to be sung by pilgrims as they went up to Jerusalem three times a year for the great worship festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. These yearly pilgrimages shaped Israel’s identity in the saving acts of God’s grace. “Pilgrim” is an essential aspect of our identity as followers of Jesus. As God’s elect, we are not at home in this world. We are citizens of another world, making our way to a heavenly “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:10). Psalm 120 gives voice to the pain and alienation we experience as foreigners and exiles in a strange land, juxtaposed with deep longings for God that break us out of our paralysis and launch us on our pilgrimage.
John 14:15-24 Join us this Sunday, as I share with you about a friend of mine. We have been friends for a few decades now. I try to make time for my friend on a regular basis, and when I do, my friend provides strength and joy and peace and wisdom and comfort to me. The really great thing about this friend is he is always with me and never leaves me. I am of course speaking about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He is the friend we have with us on the Jesus Way.
John 14:6-14
Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life, the only way to the Father. I invite you to follow me on my way. I invite you to do life the way I do life, because the way I do life is truth and is life.” So, what can we expect if we choose to follow Jesus on his way? What can we expect along His way to the Father? Join us this Sunday as we explore Jesus’ initial words for what life looks like along his way.
Heb 2:1-4 It’s Labor Day weekend, the traditional end of summer and start of a new school year. But many students have been back in class for two weeks already. We hope that they are learning again how to pay attention in class. Perhaps their teachers have given a pep talk: “You must pay the most careful attention to what you hear else…” An exhortation to listen and a warning of the consequences for not doing so: “…else you’ll fail the test, your GPA will suffer, and you won’t get into your choice of school.” The preacher to the Hebrews does a similar thing. After presenting the excellence of the Son in whom God has spoken, he exhorts and warns: “We must pay most careful attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Throughout his sermon he urges us to pay attention to Jesus.
Heb 1:5-14 God spoke in the past to Israel through the prophets, and God has spoken in these last days to us in the Son. On the Emmaus Road Jesus brought these two together, explaining “what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” After his magnificent opening sentence, the author of Hebrews also brings them together, showing how seven OT texts point to Jesus. They reinforce his claim that Jesus has become far superior to the angels. Indeed, Jesus is worthy of worship by angels and by us.
Heb 1:2b-4 “What’s in a name?” said Juliet to Romeo. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But names do matter. We all bear names, and have preferences about how we want to be called. God puts his name on people. OT Israel bore God’s name. God gave the risen and ascended Jesus a name above all names. The people of the New Jerusalem will bear the name of God and the Lamb. What does it mean to bear God’s name?
Heb 1:1-2 We launch a new sermon series, on the Book of Hebrews, entitled Christ Before Us. In the past God spoke to Israel through the prophets, in words preserved as Israel’s Scriptures, what we know as the Old Testament. God has spoken again in his Son, who both fulfills and is better than those Scriptures. He became like us in our humanity, to offer his own self for our atonement, so that we might become like him. The book repeatedly places Jesus before us, urging us to look to Jesus, to see him, to consider him. It also shows how Jesus has gone before us, faithful to the end. He is our faithful forerunner, whom we are called to faithfully follow.
Ephesians 4:11-13 This week we conclude our 2-sermon series on how God intends for His church to function, as expressed in Paul’s letter to Ephesian church. Ephesians chapter 4 describes some foundational building blocks which contribute to a healthy and vibrant church, and we will focus on a few of these: “Devotion to God’s Word”, “Participating in God’s Work”, “Ministry of the Saints. While many of us are familiar with these PBCC Core Values, it is good to review them in the context of Ephesians 4. We hope to see you this Sunday.
Ephesians 4:1-6 In the fractured and polarized world of the last three years, one would think that the church ought to be a stabilizing and unifying force for society. However, we’ve seen that the church itself was just as divided and polarized as the rest of society, if not more so. We know that disunity is not God’s plan for His family; He desires His children to live in harmony in the bond of love. One of the strongest exhortations for unity in the church comes from Ephesians chapter 4, a familiar passage from which PBCC derives several of our core family values. In a short 2-sermon series, we’ll retrace the lessons Apostle Paul taught to the believers in Ephesus and learn how God intends for the church to live in unity and to function as a living body.
James 5:13-20 The longing to be known and loved is universal, going back to the banishment of our first parents from Eden. But surely we live in an especially lonely time. Social media offers us innumerable opportunities for connection which have mostly resulted in deformed ‘communities’, and ‘friendships’ without content. The church, God’s plan for human belonging, is seen by many (too often with good reason) as unwelcoming and self-important. We turn to scripture for a better word. The final verses of James contain practical instruction on healthy church life - describing believers who pray with and for one another, are honest about sin and suffering, and sing praises from the heart.
Jeremiah is not a book we usually turn to for our Bible reading even though one of the verses we quote and hear quoted often is Jer. 29.11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” However, not only is Jeremiah filled with beautiful verse and amazing metaphors, but there is also much that we can learn from Jeremiah’s painful life and his hard message to the people of Judah. We will explore these two themes on Sunday.
Col 2:16-23 No one, said Jesus, puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins -- and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins. You dont have to be a winemaker to appreciate the wisdom of Christs reminder: Just as new wine can burst old wineskins, so the Way of Christ was never meant to be bound by tradition. Yet, there is a place for the old as much as there is for the new -- both belong to Christ! Come join us this Sunday as we explore the right -- and wrong -- ways we often use tradition as travelers on the ever-new, ever-reforming, ever-reconstructing Way of Christ.
Col 2:6-12 God’s love and salvation comes to us unconditionally – but our experience of His love and salvation require our engagement: We must say Yes, not just at the altar call but in our day-to-day lives; not just to the Gospel pitch but to Gospel obedience over the course of this sojourn called Life. Join us this Sunday as we return to the Apostle Pauls Letter to the Colossians and hear about The Purpose of Christ.
Col 1:25-27; 2:1-3 In the film Interstellar, director Christopher Nolan suggests that love is as powerful a force in our lives as gravity. As Christians, we know this to be more than a mere suggestion -- it is the truth we experience for ourselves, as outsiders who are being drawn to God by the love of Christ. Come join us this Sunday to hear more about the Mystery of Christ as we return to Colossians 1:25-27; 2:1-3.
Colossians 1:24-2:5 We live in a world of influencers and platforms; a world of content creators and followers; a world that poses some interesting challenges to following the Way of Christ. And that is the overall focus of this series of sermons in Colossians; as people seeking to be “Centered on Christ”, how do we follow the Way of Christ? It turns out that continuing on the Way of Christ requires us to be thoughtful about who we listen to, whose opinions we value, whose influence we embrace. Let’s unpack this thought this Sunday as we take our first look into Colossians 1:24-2:5.
Col 1:21-23 God’s love and salvation comes to us unconditionally – but our experience of His love and salvation require our engagement: We must say Yes, not just at the altar call but in our day-to-day lives; not just to the Gospel pitch but to Gospel obedience over the course of this sojourn called Life. Join us this Sunday as we return to the Apostle Pauls Letter to the Colossians and hear about The Purpose of Christ.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matt 5:4; John 11 Please join us this Sunday as the pastoral staff has decided to do a lament service in light of the recent tragedies.
John 14:4-6 We return to our studies in the Gospel of John this Sunday where Jesus makes maybe his most audacious claim yet. He says he is the way, the truth and the life. Notice he doesn’t say he is a way, a truth and a life. He says he is the way, the truth and the life.” He even says he is the only way to the Father. These are indeed enormous claims! Join us this Sunday as we explore these bold claims.
John 14:1-3 We continue our studies in the Gospel of John this Sunday in the upper room where love continues to be the central theme. From the words of institution celebrating the love revealed at the cross, to the washing of feet celebrating the love of service, to the new commandment celebrating the “just as Jesus kind of love, this week we will celebrate the love of marriage. Specifically, we will celebrate the deep love of Jesus, the bridegroom, for the church, his bride. Jesus will go to prepare a place in his Father’s house, and when he is ready, he will come back and take his bride to be with him where he is. Join us this Sunday as we explore some of the most wonderful promises in all of Scripture.
John 13:21-38 As we enter back into John 13 this week, we join the disciples in an upper room in downtown Jerusalem on the night before Jesus goes to the cross. Jesus astonishingly begins this final teaching by serving his disciples in the act of washing their feet. Next, Jesus will explain this act even more, but framed in the language of love, and not just any kind of love, a “just as” kind of love. What is even more astonishing is that this teaching happens in the context of heart-wrenching rejection. Join us this Sunday as we explore this “just as” kind of love.
On Sunday we welcome a guest preacher, Iain Provan, Old Testament Professor at Regent College Vancouver, who will meet next week with our pastors for their annual retreat.
David began the beloved Twenty-third Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd.” A thousand years later Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. Psalm 23 and John 10:7-15 The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The earliest Christian art depicted Jesus as the Good Shepherd caring for his sheep.
John 13:1-20 We return to our studies in the Gospel of John this Sunday, a Gospel that invites us to Come and See who Jesus really is. Our text this week is the well-known text of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Would it be even more well-known, because it is in this scene where Jesus turns everything upside-down. He defines Lordship (even deity!) in terms of a towel, then defines what it means to be people of the towel. Join us this Sunday as we explore the foot-washing event by the foot-washing Lord.
Mark 16:1-8
Call to Worship: Philippians 2: 6-11 (NLT)
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Scripture Reading: Mark 16:1-8 (ICB)
1 The day after the Sabbath day, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some sweet-smelling spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were on their way to the tomb. It was soon after sunrise. 3 They said to each other, “There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?”
4 Then the women looked and saw that the stone was already moved. The stone was very large, but it was moved away from the entrance. 5 The women entered the tomb and saw a young man wearing a white robe. He was sitting on the right side, and the women were afraid.
6 But the man said, “Don’t be afraid. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, the one who was killed on a cross. He has risen from death. He is not here. Look, here is the place they laid him. 7 Now go and tell his followers and Peter, ‘Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see him there as he told you before.’”
8 The women were confused and shaking with fear. They left the tomb and ran away. They did not tell anyone about what happened, because they were afraid.
Ruth 2
Call to Worship:Psalm 98:1-3 (ESV)
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 36:7-10 (NLT)
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights.9 For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.
10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.
Ruth 1
Call to Worship: Hosea 6:1-3 (ESV)
1 “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 56: 3a, 4a, 6-8 (NLT)
3 “Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.’4 “For this is what the Lord says: I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy…
6 “I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant.7 I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.8 For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel.”
Daniel 12
Call to Worship: Psalm 37:1-9 (NIV)
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Scripture Reading: Daniel 12:1-13 (NIV)
1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.”
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”
9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”
Daniel 11
Call to Worship: Psalm 1 (NIV)
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Scripture Reading: Daniel 11:2-45 (NIV)
2 “Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. 4 After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others.
5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her.
7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress.
11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.
14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.
20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.
21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.
25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.
29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him…
Daniel 7:15-28
Call to Worship: Revelation 11:15-17 (NIV) 15 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.”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
Scripture Reading: Daniel 7 (NIV)
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.
2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
4 “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
5 “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’
6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
9 “As I looked,
“thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.The court was seated, and the books were opened.
11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.
“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.
26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’
28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”
Colossians 1:18-20
Call to Worship:Psalm 149:1-4 (NLT)
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.4 For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
Scripture Reading: The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy [universal] Church,the communion of the saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.
Colossians 1:15-17
Call to Worship: Psalm 33: 2-3; 6-9; 20-22 (NLT) Responsive
2 Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.3 Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.8 Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
Scripture Reading: The Apostles Creed (in Mandarin)
I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy [universal] Church,the communion of the saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.