Chinese for Christ Church of San Jose
English Worship Service
Worship Service: 10:00 –11:10 am followed by snacks in the Fellowship Hall.
Call To Worship* – Alison Law
Praise & Worship*- Praise Team and Congregation
Welcome & Announcements – Kenny Chan
Sermon “Paul’s Prayer” Ephesians 1:15-23 (page 976)- Joey Wang
Song(s) of Response* – Praise Team
Doxology (Words of Praise)*- Congregation
Prayer & Benediction (Lord’s Blessing)* – Joey Wang
*Please stand, if physically able. Also, please set your cell phones to “silent.”
Please exit through the ‘front’ of the sanctuary at the end of service. Thank you.
Background and Resources on Ephesians
Ephesians 1:11-14 ” Signed, Sealed & Delivered ”
We are Blessed in Christ…
- in Him (i.e. Christ), we have obtained an inheritance v. 11
– Our inheritance involves a change in our family status
– Believers in Christ are now part of and included in God’s family
– Our inheritance has been predestined, planned and prepared by God in advance
- in Him (Christ) we were sealed by the Holy Spirit v. 13
– This seal guarantees our inheritance in Christ
– The Apostle Paul uses words (i.e. sealed, guarantees, promised) all conveying the certainty of this spiritual reality and giving believers confidence, comfort and conviction to trust and hope in God
- God chooses us for the purpose of praise to His glory v. 12, 14b
– While we can (and should) enjoy God’s grace and blessings upon us, it is ultimately God who gets the glory rather than us or others
We are glad you are here this morning to worship God together with us! We hope that through this service you would experience God’s blessings to you — and know His love for you through Jesus Christ and the presence of His Spirit!
If this is your first time here, please fill out one the pink cards in the pew and pass onto any of our ushers if you would like us to contact you with more information about our church.
Announcements
- Summer Missions Pre-Registration:If you are interested in participating in one of our 2016 summer short-term mission trips, please fill out the pre-registration form and turn in to Edward Lee (aihualee@yahoo.com) or in the offering box by next Sunday 1/31. Filling out the form is not a commitment to go but rather expresses your interest — this will greatly help our missions committee in planning for the summer.
- Winter Youth Retreat: It’s not late to sign up for our annual Winter Youth Retreat. Regular registration ends 1/31. Special discount for friends! Please turn in the registration forms and check to Daniel Chen.
- EM Prayer Meeting:Come join us this Wednesday evening (8:00 – 9:15 pm) at Jeff & Ruth’s house (4544 Winding Way, San Jose) as we gather together to pray for renewal and revival in our church — as well as some our upcoming Winter Youth Retreat.
- Piano Concert: We will be having two piano concerts, “Tales of Love From the East”, at church by pianist Sandra Wright Shen (Sat, 2/6 at 7:30pm & Sun, 2/7 at 2pm). We will also have dinner at 5:30pm on Sat. 2/6. Please invite non-Christian family members and friends to join. For more information, please refer to the insert in the bulletin or check online at https://youtu.be/uPzRlDqSqbU . Please carpool if possible. Sandra does not accept offering. If you’d like to make an offering for the concert, please offer to Chinese for Christ Church of San Jose.
- Community Groups: Our small group fellowships for college/post-college (working, single/married, etc.) meet weekly on Saturday morning (10 am – 12 pm) as well as Sunday afternoons (4-6 pm). Please contact either Pastor Joey or Kenny for more information.
- Saltshakers: We will be gathering for Large Group this coming Saturday (2/6) from 7-9pm at the Beacon Building. For more information, please contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@sbcglobal.net).
- Inheritance Magazine: This month’s issue of Inheritance magazine is now available — this month’s topic is, “Departure: Stories about Loss, Death, and Finding Beauty in Grief.” Inheritance is a monthly magazine that focuses on how Christian faith interacts with Asian and American cultures. (Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in Inheritance do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of CFCCSJ.)
Prayer Requests & Praises
- Pray for Emaus Church (East San Jose). Pray for Pastor Paul Sanchez and his family (wife Joy and two children) as he continues the transition of leading and shepherding this church (since fall of 2015). Pray that Emaus church would continue to be rooted in the Gospel, live out the Gospel and spread the Gospel in East San Jose.
- Pray for our upcoming Winter Youth Retreat (2/12-15). Pray for the planning, coordination, and preparations involved as we partner with Mountain View Chinese Christian Church (MVCCC), Canaan Taiwanese Christian Church (CTCC) and Spring Valley Chinese Christian Church (SVCCC). Pray that through this retreat our students would grow closer to God and one another.
Background & Resources on Ephesians
Who? The Apostle Paul wrote the letter of Ephesians
To Who? Unlike some of Paul’s other letters (1 Corinthians, Galatians, etc.), the letter of Ephesians does not seem to address specific issues but appears to be more a general letter. Most likely, the letter was passed around to different house churches which gathered throughout the city of Ephesus–a major city and trading center (port)
When? 60-61 AD
Where? Paul wrote the letter of Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome.
Why? To remind and encourage Christians in Ephesus of the gospel message. The first half of the letter (chapters 1-3) focuses on the Gospel, while the second half (chapters 4-6) focuses on the implications and application of the Gospel.
Recommended Commentaries on Ephesians
We’ve found the following commentaries helpful in having a better understanding of the book of Ephesians:
The Letter to the Ephesians (The Pillar New Testament Commentary) by Peter T. O’Brien
& Ephesians (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Frank Thielman
– The two best “technical” (in-depth) commentaries on Ephesians, which explores the original Greek language, historical background as well as theological terms. While technical, both these commentaries also point readers to a deeper love of God.
Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) by Tony Merida and David Platt
– Probably the best “user-friendly” commentary on Ephesians. Short, concise, but packed with helpful insights as well as how Ephesians points us to Jesus
Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary by Harold W. Hoehner
Ephesians (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Clinton E. Arnold
New City Catechism (from www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php)
Catechisms are a helpful tool in teaching and learning the essentials of the Christian faith. They are written in question and answer form to help memorize. We hope that this will be a tool for us to use in disciplining our children, one another and ourselves as a church community. [The New City Catechism is also available online and for your smart phones]
Question 21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
Answer: One who is truly human and also truly God
Passage(s): Isaiah 9:6