Previous Sermons and Liturgies in Abide in Jesus Series:
Jesus Is Our Gift and our Goal + Winter 2017
Welcome! Bienvenido! Akwaaba! Mirë se vjen! خوش آمدید
Bem-vindos! 歡迎光臨!
We have the privilege to love and serve this city as His Church – His family of servants and ambassadors – in multicultural communities who are learning how to humbly follow Jesus in every area of life, to graciously love our neighbors, and to generously serve our city for the glory of God and for the life of the world.
Emmaus City welcomes you and invites you to hear and respond to the gospel, the history-altering, world-changing, life-transforming good news that Jesus is King – our Savior, Healer, Redeemer, Reconciler, Champion, Friend – and that He is bringing the joy and justice of God's Kingdom to Worcester.
Bible Passages | John 15:1-11; Matthew 5:3, 7:21-23; Proverbs 11:2, 29:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
The Value of a Life
+ Sherlock Holmes, BBC Series 4 (2017)
Reliance on Jesus Makes the Kingdom of God Available
The Beatitudes is the development of Jesus’ primary theme: the availability of the Kingdom of heaven. In Matt. 4:17, 23-25, we see Him declaring the Good News and demonstrating it through meeting the desperate needs of people. He healed illness and pain, possession, paralysis, and insanity. Then He gave the Beatitudes to the people He had touched. The Beatitudes serve to clarify Jesus’ fundamental message: the free availability of God’s rule and righteousness to all humanity through reliance upon Jesus Himself. This is for the hopeless, seemingly beyond God’s blessing or interest, but instead receiving God’s touch and abundant provision from heaven.
+ Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God
Union with Christ – This is How to Be Fully Human
"A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out." God made the work of Jesus to "bind up the brokenhearted" and there is more belovedness in Christ for us than there ever is brokenness in sin. "Weaknesses do not debar us from mercy; rather they incline God to us the more," seventeenth-century Anglican pastor Richard Sibbes wrote.
"A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out." God made the work of Jesus to "bind up the brokenhearted" and there is more belovedness in Christ for us than there ever is brokenness in sin. "Weaknesses do not debar us from mercy; rather they incline God to us the more," seventeenth-century Anglican pastor Richard Sibbes wrote.
When your identity is in Christ, your identity is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Criticism can't change it. Failing can't shake it. Lists can't determine it. You aren't your yesterday, you aren't your messes, you aren't your failures, you aren't your brokenness. You are brave enough for today, because He is. You are strong enough for what's coming, because He is.
Union with Christ – this is how to be fully human. Union with Christ, writes Karl Barth, "is the starting-point for everything else to be thought and said concerning what makes the Christian a Christian." Believers in Christ are seen by God exactly as Christ is seen by God. I am who He is. I am crucified with Christ, unified with Christ, identified with Christ. I am not the mistakes I have made; I am the righteousness He has made. I am not the plans I have failed; I am the perfectness He has finished. I am not the sins I have chosen; I am chosen by the Beloved, regardless of my sins. In Christ, I am chosen, accepted, justified, anointed, sealed, forgiven, redeemed, complete, free, Christ's friend, God's child, Spirit's home.
+ Ann Voskamp, The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life
Eucharist | Thanking God for Communion with Christ and His Church
Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples
Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father in heaven,
May Your name be kept holy.
May Your Kingdom come.
May Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we have forgiven those
Who sin against us.
And don’t let us
Yield to temptation,
But rescue us
From the evil one.
(For Yours is the Kingdom,
The power and the glory forever. Amen.)
By Stuart Townend
2007 A.D.
Come, people of the Risen King,Who delight to bring Him praise.
Come, all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice,
O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun
And those weeping through the night.
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
(Chorus)
Come, young and old from every land,
Men and women of the faith.
Come, those with full or empty hands,
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing,
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age;
"Our God is all in all!"
(Chorus)
By Sovereign Grace Music
2011 A.D.
Prepare our hearts, O God,
Help us to receive.
Break the hard and stony ground,
Help our unbelief.
Plant Your Word down deep in us,
Cause it to bear fruit.
Open up our ears to hear
Lead us in Your truth.
Show us Christ,
Show us Christ!
O God,
Reveal Your glory
Through the preaching
Of Your Word
Until every heart confesses
Christ is Lord!
Your Word is living light
Upon our darkened eyes,
Guards us through temptations
Makes the simple wise.
Your Word is food
For famished ones,
Freedom for the slave,
Riches for the needy soul;
Come speak to us today.
(Chorus)
Where else can we go, Lord,
Where else can we go?
You have the words of eternal life!
(Chorus)
By Austin Stone Worship
2013 A.D.
God, I need You,
I need You, I need You,
With every breath,
every pulse of my heart.
Christ have mercy, have mercy,
Let mercy abound,
I need You, I need You now.
God, pour out Your grace,
Glorious grace
That we would be held by
Your perfect embrace!
We are undeserving,
You are high and worthy,
All of our praise
For this glorious grace!
God we're longing,
We're longing to see You,
In Your presence
All darkness will fade.
Shine Your glory, Your glory,
Let glory surround,
We're longing to see You now.
(Chorus)
God, Your grace
Like rising seas
Has swallowed death
And sin in me!
Glory to our God who saves,
Jesus Christ, our glorious grace!
God we worship, we worship,
We worship You
For Your glory, our all in all.
You are worthy, You’re worthy,
You’re worthy,
We worship, we worship You.
God we need You,
We need You now.
By Chris Tomlin
2011 A.D.
Lord, I come, I confess,
Bowing here I find my rest.
Without You I fall apart.
You're the One that guides my heart.
Lord, I need You,
Oh, I need You,
Every hour I need You;
My one defense,
My righteousness,
Oh God, how I need You!
Where sin runs deep,
Your grace is more.
Where grace is found is
Where You are.
And where You are,
Lord, I am free,
Holiness is Christ in me!
(Chorus)
Teach my song to rise to You.
When temptation comes my way,
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You.
Jesus, You're my hope and stay.
(Chorus)
By Urban Doxology
2012 A.D.
Abide in Me,
Take rest in Me,
Apart from Me,
You can do nothing.
It is My will
That you bear much fruit.
Abide in Me,
Take rest in Me
There’s work to do!
I am the Vine,
You are the branches.
You’re qualified to be a blessing.
You are the clay,
I am the Potter.
Through you,
I will do great things!
(Chorus and Verse)
Receive your strength,
Rejoice for I’m preparing you,
I’m renewing you
To bear much fruit.
Take your rest in Me,
Receive your strength.
Rejoice for I’m preparing you.
I’m renewing you
To bear much fruit.
Take your rest in Me!
(Chorus)
By Ike Ndolo
2012 A.D.
The dark is groaning,
The tomb is reaching out.
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!The crows are circling,
The jackal waits in the dark.
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son
Where the grave is no more,
The war has been won!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son,
I belong to You, I belong!
The world is in my bones,
It makes me wrestle with You.
Oh, but You have claimed me!
Oh, but You have claimed me!
No matter how far I've gone,
Even to the devil's table.
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
(Chorus)
Through my wandering,
And my failing,
And my doubting, I belong!
Through the fire,
And the darkness,
Through the sadness, I belong!
I'm just a rebel,
Who's tired of fighting,
So I'm laying down these arms.
The sun is rising, the sun is rising,
The sun is rising!
(Chorus)
Our World Belongs to God: Christ
2008 A.D.
23. Remembering the promise
to reconcile the world to Himself,
God joined our humanity in Jesus Christ—
the eternal Word made flesh.
He is the long-awaited Messiah,
one with us and one with God,
fully human and fully divine,
conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
Luke 1:31-35; John 1:1-14;
Hebrews 1:2-3
26. Being both divine and human,
Jesus is our only mediator.
He alone paid the debt of our sin;
there is no other Savior.
We are chosen in Christ
to become like Him in every way.
God’s electing love sustains our hope:
God’s grace is free
to save sinners who offer nothing
but their need for mercy.
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:11-15;
John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 8:29;
2 Cor. 3:18: Eph. 1:3-4
Benediction
Our Father in heaven,
May Your name be kept holy.
May Your Kingdom come.
May Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we have forgiven those
Who sin against us.
And don’t let us
Yield to temptation,
But rescue us
From the evil one.
(For Yours is the Kingdom,
The power and the glory forever. Amen.)
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we have forgiven those
Who sin against us.
And don’t let us
Yield to temptation,
But rescue us
From the evil one.
(For Yours is the Kingdom,
The power and the glory forever. Amen.)
By Stuart Townend
2007 A.D.
Come, people of the Risen King,Who delight to bring Him praise.
Come, all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice,
O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun
And those weeping through the night.
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
(Chorus)
Come, young and old from every land,
Men and women of the faith.
Come, those with full or empty hands,
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing,
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age;
"Our God is all in all!"
(Chorus)
Come, all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice,
O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun
And those weeping through the night.
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
(Chorus)
Come, young and old from every land,
Men and women of the faith.
Come, those with full or empty hands,
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing,
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age;
"Our God is all in all!"
(Chorus)
By Sovereign Grace Music
2011 A.D.
Prepare our hearts, O God,
Help us to receive.
Break the hard and stony ground,
Help our unbelief.
Plant Your Word down deep in us,
Cause it to bear fruit.
Open up our ears to hear
Lead us in Your truth.
2011 A.D.
Prepare our hearts, O God,
Help us to receive.
Break the hard and stony ground,
Help our unbelief.
Plant Your Word down deep in us,
Cause it to bear fruit.
Open up our ears to hear
Lead us in Your truth.
Show us Christ,
Show us Christ!
O God,
Reveal Your glory
Through the preaching
Of Your Word
Until every heart confesses
Christ is Lord!
O God,
Reveal Your glory
Through the preaching
Of Your Word
Until every heart confesses
Christ is Lord!
Your Word is living light
Upon our darkened eyes,
Guards us through temptations
Makes the simple wise.
Your Word is food
For famished ones,
Freedom for the slave,
Riches for the needy soul;
Come speak to us today.
(Chorus)
Guards us through temptations
Makes the simple wise.
Your Word is food
For famished ones,
Freedom for the slave,
Riches for the needy soul;
Come speak to us today.
(Chorus)
Where else can we go, Lord,
Where else can we go?
You have the words of eternal life!
(Chorus)
You have the words of eternal life!
(Chorus)
By Austin Stone Worship
2013 A.D.
God, I need You,
I need You, I need You,
With every breath,
every pulse of my heart.
Christ have mercy, have mercy,
Let mercy abound,
I need You, I need You now.
God, pour out Your grace,
Glorious grace
That we would be held by
Your perfect embrace!
We are undeserving,
You are high and worthy,
All of our praise
For this glorious grace!
God we're longing,
We're longing to see You,
In Your presence
All darkness will fade.
Shine Your glory, Your glory,
Let glory surround,
We're longing to see You now.
(Chorus)
God, Your grace
Like rising seas
Has swallowed death
And sin in me!
Glory to our God who saves,
Jesus Christ, our glorious grace!
God we worship, we worship,
We worship You
We worship You
For Your glory, our all in all.
You are worthy, You’re worthy,
You’re worthy,
You’re worthy,
We worship, we worship You.
God we need You,
We need You now.
We need You now.
By Chris Tomlin
2011 A.D.
2011 A.D.
Lord, I come, I confess,
Bowing here I find my rest.
Without You I fall apart.
You're the One that guides my heart.
Without You I fall apart.
You're the One that guides my heart.
Lord, I need You,
Oh, I need You,
Oh, I need You,
Every hour I need You;
My one defense,
My righteousness,
Oh God, how I need You!
My one defense,
My righteousness,
Oh God, how I need You!
Where sin runs deep,
Your grace is more.
Where grace is found is
Where You are.
And where You are,
Lord, I am free,
Holiness is Christ in me!
(Chorus)
Where grace is found is
Where You are.
And where You are,
Lord, I am free,
Holiness is Christ in me!
(Chorus)
Teach my song to rise to You.
When temptation comes my way,
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You.
Jesus, You're my hope and stay.
(Chorus)
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You.
Jesus, You're my hope and stay.
(Chorus)
By Urban Doxology
2012 A.D.
2012 A.D.
Abide in Me,
Take rest in Me,
Apart from Me,
You can do nothing.
It is My will
That you bear much fruit.
Abide in Me,
Take rest in Me,
Apart from Me,
You can do nothing.
It is My will
That you bear much fruit.
Abide in Me,
Take rest in Me
There’s work to do!
There’s work to do!
I am the Vine,
You are the branches.
You’re qualified to be a blessing.
You are the clay,
I am the Potter.
Through you,
You’re qualified to be a blessing.
You are the clay,
I am the Potter.
Through you,
I will do great things!
(Chorus and Verse)
Receive your strength,
Rejoice for I’m preparing you,
I’m renewing you
(Chorus and Verse)
Receive your strength,
Rejoice for I’m preparing you,
I’m renewing you
To bear much fruit.
Take your rest in Me,
Receive your strength.
Rejoice for I’m preparing you.
I’m renewing you
Take your rest in Me,
Receive your strength.
Rejoice for I’m preparing you.
I’m renewing you
To bear much fruit.
Take your rest in Me!
Take your rest in Me!
(Chorus)
By Ike Ndolo
2012 A.D.
The dark is groaning,
The tomb is reaching out.
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!The crows are circling,
The jackal waits in the dark.
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son
Where the grave is no more,
The war has been won!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son,
I belong to You, I belong!
The world is in my bones,
It makes me wrestle with You.
Oh, but You have claimed me!
Oh, but You have claimed me!
No matter how far I've gone,
Even to the devil's table.
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
(Chorus)
Through my wandering,
And my failing,
And my doubting, I belong!
Through the fire,
And the darkness,
Through the sadness, I belong!
I'm just a rebel,
Who's tired of fighting,
So I'm laying down these arms.
The sun is rising, the sun is rising,
The sun is rising!
(Chorus)
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!The crows are circling,
The jackal waits in the dark.
Oh, but they can't have me!
Oh, but they can't have me!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son
Where the grave is no more,
The war has been won!
I belong to the
Land of the rising Son,
I belong to You, I belong!
The world is in my bones,
It makes me wrestle with You.
Oh, but You have claimed me!
Oh, but You have claimed me!
No matter how far I've gone,
Even to the devil's table.
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
Oh, my God, You've claimed me!
(Chorus)
Through my wandering,
And my failing,
And my doubting, I belong!
Through the fire,
And the darkness,
Through the sadness, I belong!
I'm just a rebel,
Who's tired of fighting,
So I'm laying down these arms.
The sun is rising, the sun is rising,
The sun is rising!
(Chorus)
Our World Belongs to God: Christ
2008 A.D.
23. Remembering the promise
to reconcile the world to Himself,
God joined our humanity in Jesus Christ—
the eternal Word made flesh.
He is the long-awaited Messiah,
one with us and one with God,
fully human and fully divine,
conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
Luke 1:31-35; John 1:1-14;
Hebrews 1:2-3
God joined our humanity in Jesus Christ—
the eternal Word made flesh.
He is the long-awaited Messiah,
one with us and one with God,
fully human and fully divine,
conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
Luke 1:31-35; John 1:1-14;
Hebrews 1:2-3
26. Being both divine and human,
Jesus is our only mediator.
He alone paid the debt of our sin;
there is no other Savior.
We are chosen in Christ
to become like Him in every way.
God’s electing love sustains our hope:
God’s grace is free
to save sinners who offer nothing
but their need for mercy.
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:11-15;
John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 8:29;
2 Cor. 3:18: Eph. 1:3-4
He alone paid the debt of our sin;
there is no other Savior.
We are chosen in Christ
to become like Him in every way.
God’s electing love sustains our hope:
God’s grace is free
to save sinners who offer nothing
but their need for mercy.
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:11-15;
John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 8:29;
2 Cor. 3:18: Eph. 1:3-4
Benediction |
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. + Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. + Ephesians 3:20-21
Next post: Abide in Jesus Series: Turning from Our Slothful Indifference to Our Zealously Righteous Savior
+ Sully
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