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* – Hannah Lee
Praise & Worship*- Praise Team and Congregation
Welcome & Announcements – Daniel Chen
Sermon “The Gospel: Grace Works” Ephesians 2:1-10 (page 976)- Joey Wang
Communion (Lord’s Supper) – Baptized Believers
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.
Last Week’s Sermon Notes
Ephesians 1:15-23 “Paul’s Prayer”
- Paul’s Thanksgiving & Prayer (vv.15-19)
– Paul’s Thanksgiving for the Ephesians for: 1. Their Faith in Christ and 2. Their Love for the Church (fellow Christians/Believers). We are only thankful for things we value. In Paul’s thanksgiving we see how much he valued their faith in Jesus and their expression of love for fellow Christians.
– Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians: To See & Know God in Greater Depth: 1. Our Hope in Christ (v.18) — because of life’s circumstances we can often lose hope. 2. We are God’s Inheritance (v.18) — that God cherishes us, values us, and loves us, 3. God’s Power in Us (v.19) — God’s Spirit dwells in us and can empower our lives as we follow Him.
Power of God in Christ & The Church (vv.20-23)
– The apostle Paul points to 2 primary examples of God’s power
– God Demonstrates His Power in Christ By: 1. Raising Him from the Dead (v.20), 2. Seating Him in Heaven (vv.20-21), 3. Subjecting All Things Under Him (v.22), 4. Placing Him as Head of the Church (v.22). All these acts reveal the power of God in Christ Jesus
– God Demonstrates His Power in the Church: As the church is the body of Christ, therefore it is through the church that the world sees the power of God.
Reflection:
– When was the last time you’ve expressed thanksgiving and appreciation to God for fellow believers – for their faith in Christ and their love for others?
– How does Paul’s view of the church differ from our modern day view of the church? In what ways can we better appreciate the importance and significance of the church in God’s plans and purposes?
Application:
– Spend some time this week in giving thanks to God in prayer for 2-3 brothers or sisters in Christ – specifically for their faith in Christ and their love for others.
– Using Paul’s prayer (vv.17-19) as a guide, pray for these believers (as well as our church community) in this coming week.
– Be reminded this week that you are blessed in Christ – with hope, with His love, and with His power!
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
- Winter Youth Retreat (2/12-2/15):Final registration ends today! Please turn in registration forms and checks to Daniel. For those attending, please remember to be in the Fellowship Hall by 5pm (dinner provided); buses will leaves at 6pm.
- Baptism Classes: English baptism classes will be held on Sunday 2/21 at 11:15-11:30am in room 104, Sunday 2/28 at 1-1:15pm in the meeting room of church office, and Sunday 3/6 at 11:15-11:30am in room 104. Please contact Pastor Joey for more information.
- 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: No regular Saltshakers gathering due to the Winter Youth Retreat. We will be meeting the following Saturday (2/20)!
- 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 next weekend’s Winter Youth Retreat (2/12-15) 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 — pray for spiritual renewal, revival and repentance among out students. Pray our speaker Dan Daugherty as well as our adult volunteers and leaders as they lead small groups.
- Pray for Dwell Christian Church in Willow Glenn. Pray for Pastor Chris Tenny as he leads and shepherds this church and for their worship director Kevin Patao. Pray that Dwell Christian Church would live out their mission of “Loving God, Loving Others, Making Disciples and Seeking Justice.”
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 22: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?
Answer: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.
Passage(s): Hebrews 2:17