Previous Sermons and Liturgies in Abide in Jesus Series:
Jesus Is Our Gift and our Goal + Winter 2017
Turning from Our Disgraceful Pride to Our Gracious Savior + Winter 2017
Turning from Our Slothful Indifference to Our Zealously Righteous Savior + Winter 2017
Turning from Our Exiling Envy to Our Welcoming Savior of Sorrows and Joy + Winter 2017
Turning from Our Blinding and Destructive Lust to Fully Seeing Our Powerfully Pure Savior of Relentless Love + Winter 2017
Céad míle fáilte! 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.
The chief concern for the rich and for the poor is whether our
hearts are content with what God has given us. The Bible helps us understand that contentment – the kind
that stays intact during prosperous times as well as during times of scarcity –
is reachable only for those who see God Himself as their true wealth.
Contentment grows as we live from the truth that God is our ultimate
inheritance. He invites us to be satisfied, because our deepest need – to have
God be with us and for us – has been richly met. + Scott Sauls, Jesus Outside the Lines
I think everybody should
get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that
it’s not the answer. + Jim Carrey
Greed is being chained to
the ground, with our backs turned to heaven and our eyes fixed on the earth. +
Dante
We need
informed individuals and families everywhere to tear down our current picture
of the good life and build a new one filled with mercy in its place. When Jesus
used the phrase, “I will tear down” in his parable about the rich man in Luke 12:16-21, He was using a phrase by the prophet
Jeremiah (in 1:9-10) that was used to describe
courageous acts in an ironic twist. It’s as if acting like God and storing up
treasures is the opposite of a courageous act. And God took back the man’s life
as if he were already dead to a world God is meaning to restore. What
we tear down and rebuild says everything about our souls, our future, and the
things we really value. We can tear down a life of greed and rebuild with
mercy. + Jeff Cook, Seven
Everything
is needful that He sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds. + John Newton
Bible Passages | John 15:1-11; Matthew 5:7; Matthew 6:19-33; Isaiah 58:3-14; Proverbs 28:5; Psalm 10:3; 1 Timothy 6:10; Luke 12:16-21; Acts 20:35; Matthew 10:8; Mark 8:34-36
Matthew
6:9-13
Our Father in heaven,
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 Page CXVI
Original by Thomas Ken
1674 A.D.
Original by Thomas Ken
1674 A.D.
Praise
God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise
Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Glory
to Thee my God this night
For
all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, O keep me King of kings
Under the shadow of Thy wings.
Keep me, O keep me King of kings
Under the shadow of Thy wings.
Lord,
let my soul forever share
The
bliss of Thy paternal care.
‘Tis heav’n on earth, ‘tis heav’n above
To seek Thy face and sing Thy love.
‘Tis heav’n on earth, ‘tis heav’n above
To seek Thy face and sing Thy love.
Amen,
amen.
By Sojourn Worship
2015
A.D.
Forgive
us Lord, for passing by
When
children cry for bread.
Forbid it Lord, that justice lies
Forbid it Lord, that justice lies
In
tatters, cold and dead.
Outside these walls run desperate streets
Outside these walls run desperate streets
Where
greed is law and life is cheap.
We bar the doors, refuse to see,
We bar the doors, refuse to see,
Or
hear the words You said:
Let justice roll like a river,
Like a river, let it roll!
Let justice roll like a river,
Like a river, let it roll!
Convict us Lord, we dance and laugh
Ignoring those who weep.
Correct us Lord, our golden calf
Has lulled our hearts to sleep.
The gap between the rich and poor
Grows ever wider, shore to shore.
There’s racial hate, religious war
And wolves among the sheep.
Correct us Lord, our golden calf
Has lulled our hearts to sleep.
The gap between the rich and poor
Grows ever wider, shore to shore.
There’s racial hate, religious war
And wolves among the sheep.
(Chorus)
Indwell us Lord, and purify
Our hands to work for You.
Enlist us Lord, to serve nearby
And 'cross the waters, too.
Your image-bearers on the earth
Will never know how much theyʼre worth
Unless we love and help them first
And show the way to You!
(Chorus)
Enlist us Lord, to serve nearby
And 'cross the waters, too.
Your image-bearers on the earth
Will never know how much theyʼre worth
Unless we love and help them first
And show the way to You!
(Chorus)
By Ike Ndolo
2013
A.D.
My
hands shake with guilt and shame,
Still
You love me, love me.
Your
eyes are bright
And
shine so full of mercy, mercy.
Jesus, Bread of Life, Bread for all.
This is my offering, this my everything,
The Son of God who bled and died
And rose again for me.
Your
flesh You gave for all
So
we could see You, see You.
Your
blood poured for all
So
we could know You, know You.
(Chorus)
Stuart
Townend
1995
A.D.
How deep the Father's love for
us,
How vast
beyond all measure,
That
He should give His only Son
To
make a wretch His treasure.
How great
the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns
His face away
As
wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring
many sons to glory.
Behold
the man upon a cross,
My
sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed,
I hear my mocking voice
Call
our among the scoffers.
It
was my sin that held Him there
Until
it was accomplished;
His
dying breath has brought me life,
I
know that it is finished.
I
will not boast in anything,
No
gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But
I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His
death and resurrection.
Why
should I gain from His reward?
I
cannot give an answer.
But
this I know with all my heart –
His
wounds have paid my ransom!
By Austin Stone Music
2013
A.D.
There is no
other
So
sure and steady.
My
hope is held
In
Your hand.
When
castles crumble
And
breath is fleeting,
Upon
this Rock I will stand.
Upon
this Rock I will stand!
Glory, glory,
We have no other king
But Jesus Lord of all!
Raise the anthem,
Our loudest praises ring –
We crown Him Lord of all!
Your
kindly rule has
Shattered
and broken
The
curse of sin's tyranny.
My
life is hidden
'Neath
Heaven's shadow,
Your
crimson flood
Covers
me!
Your
crimson flood
Covers
me!
(Chorus)
In
all my sorrows,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
In
all my victories,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
More
than any comfort,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
More
than all riches,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
Our
souls declaring,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
Our
song eternal,
Jesus is better
–
Make my heart believe!
(Chorus)
By
Phil Wickham
2013 A.D.
2013 A.D.
Who
breaks the power
Of
sin and darkness?
Whose love is mighty
And so much stronger?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Who shakes the whole earth
With holy thunder?
And leaves us breathless
In awe and wonder?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Whose love is mighty
And so much stronger?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Who shakes the whole earth
With holy thunder?
And leaves us breathless
In awe and wonder?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
This is amazing grace,
This is unfailing love,
That You would take my place,
That You would bear my cross!
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free!
Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me!
Who
brings our chaos
Back
into order?
Who makes the orphan
A son and daughter?
The King of Glory,
The King of Glory!
Who makes the orphan
A son and daughter?
The King of Glory,
The King of Glory!
Who
rules the nations
With
truth and justice,
Shines like the sun in
All of its brilliance!
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Shines like the sun in
All of its brilliance!
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
(Chorus)
400s
A.D.
We
bind to ourselves today
God's
Power to pilot us,
God's
Might to uphold us,
God's
Wisdom to guide us,
God's
Eye to look before us,
God's
Ear to hear us,
God's
Word to speak for us,
God's
Hand to guard us,
God's
Way to go before us,
God's
Shield to shelter us,
God's
Host to secure us.
Christ
with us, Christ before us,
Christ
behind us, Christ in us,
Christ
beneath us, Christ above us,
Christ
at our right, Christ at our left,
Christ
when lying down, Christ in sitting,
Christ
in rising up.
Christ
in the heart of every man
who
thinks of us,
Christ
in the mouth of every man
who
speaks of us,
Christ
in every eye that sees us,
Christ
in every ear that hears us.
We
bind to ourselves today
The
strong power of
an
invocation of the Trinity,
The
faith of the Trinity in Unity,
The
Creator of the Universe.
Salvation
is of the Lord,
Salvation
is of the Lord,
Salvation
is of Christ;
May
Your salvation, O Lord,
be
with us forever.
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
Next post: Abide in Jesus Series Special: Your Humble King Has Come (Palm Sunday Weekend)
+ Sully
Email Pastor Mike | Website | Facebook | Visit Us | Join Us
