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 – Daniel Chen
Sermon “Called to Walk…” Ephesians 4:1-6 (page 977)- Kenny Chan
Song(s) of Response* – Praise Team
Doxology (Words of Praise)*- Congregation
Prayer & Benediction (Lord’s Blessing)* – Kenny Chan
*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 3:14-21 “Prayer of Power”
– In these verses we see the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesus. These verses are helpful to guide us and instruct us in how we can pray for one another and our church.
- Paul’s Prayer (vv.14-19)
– To God the Father (vv.14-15): Our prayers are not directed to an abstract force but rather to God our Father – that God is a personal God who we can know and who knows us, cares for us, protects us and provides for us.
– For Power Through the Spirit (v.16): Often times in life we may feel weak – we are reminded that we can rely on His Spirit to empower us and strengthen us in our daily lives as we follow Him
– To Know the Love of Christ (vv.17-19a): We are forgetful people and we often forget God’s love for us through Jesus. Paul’s prayer is that we would continue to expand our knowledge and experience of Jesus’ love for us instead of growing stale and losing awe of His love for us.
– For the Fullness of God (v.19b): The life of the Christian isn’t meant to be running on fumes but one of satisfaction and fullness. This is something we need to regularly pray for.
- The Power of God & The Glory of God (vv.20-21)
– God’s Power Beyond Our Asking & Thinking: We often need to have our view of God’s power expanded – instead of limiting Him.
– Glory of God through the Church & Christ: We most clearly see God’s power and love through not only Jesus – but through the church (God’s people). Let us be a church that radiates the glory of God!
Reflection:
– In what areas of your life do you find yourself “weak” or “empty” these days?
– Do you find yourself growing in amazement of God’s power and love or do you find yourself growing stale and ambivalent towards Him?
– Pray that as a church and as individuals we could continue to be strengthened by the Spirit, know the love of Christ, and be filled with the fullness of God.
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
- Sunday School: This Sunday is the start of our new quarter (March-May) of Sunday School classes. Please see the chart above for location of classes.
- Baptism Information Session: There will be an information session today at 1:00 pm regarding our upcoming Baptism Classes starting the following weekend. Please contact Joey for more information.
- EM Prayer Meeting: Come join us this Wednesday evening (8:00-9:15pm) at the Duplex (next to the church office).
- VBS: Volunteers (youth and adult) are needed for our 2016 Vacation Bible School (VBS) from 7/18-7/22! Volunteer registration forms are due 3/6. Contact Vanda Chan (vandachan25@gmail.com) for more info.
- 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 Pastor Joey for more information.
- Saltshakers: We will be continuing our semester theme on Apologetics/World Religions this coming Saturday (3/12) from 7-9 pm at the Beacon Building. For more information, please contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@sbcglobal.net).
- Inheritance Magazine: This month’s issue of Inheritance magazine is still available from our ushers if you haven’t picked up a copy yet: “Over the Hill: Stories about Children, Young and Old, and What We Can Learn from Them.” 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 Pastor Joey as he guest-preaches at Dwell Christian Church (Willow Glen, San Jose) this morning.
Pray for our high school seniors (Ashley Chen, Sally Wan, Brian Huang, Theodore Leung, Jasmine Han, and William Yang) as they hear back from colleges starting this month and discern future plans.
Pray that as followers of Jesus we would grow in our love for our neighbors, classmates, and coworkers to serve them and to be a witness of the Gospel to them.
Pray for our church’s preparations and coverage for Pastor Joey’s upcoming sabbatical (July-September).
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
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
New City Catechism (from www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php)
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 25: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?
Answer: Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more.
Passage(s): 2 Corinthians 5:21