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5/15/2016 English Sunday Service

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  “The S Word: Wives & Husbands”  Ephesians 5:22-33 (page 978)- Joey Wang

Communion – Congregation

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

“The ‘S’ Word: Children & Parents” Ephesians 6:1-4

  • The “S” Word: Submissions
  1. Children: Obey & Honor Your Parents (vv.1-3)
  • Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Proverbs 6:20, 19:26
  • Why Obedience?
  • It is Right
  • For Our Blessing and Our Good
  • God (“In the Lord”): God has placed our parents in our lives as authorities to lead and guide us.
  • What is Honor? An Attitude of the Heart & Mind
  1. Fathers (Parents): Don’t Provoke But Disciple Your Children (v.4)
    • Deuteronomy 6:4-25, Proverbs 6:20-22, 2 Timothy 1:5, 3:14-15
    • The Role (and Importance) of the Father
    • Don’t Provoke to Anger
    • To Disciple: To Discipline & To Instruct
    • Of the Lord: We are to point and direct our children to the Gospel

Application & Reflection:

  • Why is it a struggle to obey & honor your parent(s)? What sins are at the root of these struggles?
  • What are some areas in your life where you need to obey & honor your parents?
  • As child, do you see your parents as also your spiritual leader & shepherds? How have your parents influenced and encouraged you in your faith?
  • As a parent, in what ways have you provoked your children –instead of discipling them?
  • What are some practical ways you can better disciple your children?

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

  1. Serving Lunch: 7th & 9th graders are scheduled to serve lunch today. For more information, contact David Tsao or Grace Huang.
  2. Church-Wide Picnic (5/21): We will be having a church-wide picnic next Saturday (5/21) at Vasona Lake County Park. Lunch is from 11:30am-1pm.  Cost is $5/person.  Feel free to invite friends!
  3. Red Cross Blood Drive (5/28): We will be hosting our semi-annual blood drive with Red Cross on Saturday (5/28) from 9am-2pm in our Fellowship Hall. Please contact Christine Tsao (tsao@gmail.com) for more information.
  4. Summer Retreat (6/17-6/19): Registration Form is now available! Deadline for the early bird registration is May 29th. For more information, contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@sbcglobal.net).
  5. Community Groups: Our small group fellowships for college/post-college (working, single/married, etc) meet weekly on Saturday morning (10am – 12pm) as well as Sunday afternoons (4-6pm). Please contact Pastor Joey for more information
  6. Saltshakers: We will be having a joint social event with Community Group this Saturday (5/21) from 7-9pm in the Fellowship Hall. For more information, contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@sbcglobal.net)

Prayer Requests & Praises   

  1. Praise God for all our Sunday School teachers this past year who have devoted time to prepare and teach God’s Word! Pray that they would experience and grow in God’s Word as they teach.
  2. Pray for our upcoming Blood Drive – for Christine Tsao as she coordinates, for sufficient volunteers and donors and for our church to continue to find ways to serve our community!
  3. Pray for our church and Pastor Joey as we prepare for his sabbatical (July – September). Pray also for Pastor Joey as he prepares for a week-long youth discipleship retreat in the Midwest (6/4-11).

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

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 34:  Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God’s Word?

Answer: Yes, because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, also renews us by his Spirit; so that our lives may show love and gratitude to God; so that we may be assured by our faith by the fruits; and so that by our godly behavior others may be won to Christ.

Passage(s): 1 Peter 2:9-12