WELCOME: Today
is a no-nonsense teaching about Christ, His example, our lives, and what we are
doing here on this earth. Let us each examine ourselves honestly, and strive to
please God, to surrender to Him, and just “get on the ball” now and today. This is my prayer for
you. Thankfully, all we need is fingers, eyes, and a laptop or iphone. We thank you, God, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
OPENING SONGS:
“Soul on
Fire LIVE at K-LOVE”
By Third Day
“Shout to the Lord”
By Darlene Zschech
“In Christ Alone”
By Adrienne Liesching, Geoff
Moore
You may
gather your bread and wine for Holy Communion
SCRIPTURE READING FROM THE BIBLE (NASV):
The Bible verses today are from John 2:13-17:
John 2:13 And the Passover of the Jews was at
hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 2:14 And He found in the temple those
who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.
John 2:15 And He made a scourge of cords, and
He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured
out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables;
John 2:16 and to those were selling the doves
He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of
merchandise.'
John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it
was written, "ZEAL FOR THY HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."
SERMON:
We see that Christ went
along, as usual, with all the other Jews and pilgrims. Some needed to change
their money into a different currency, and then purchase an animal for the
annual Passover sacrifice. The more money people had, the bigger an animal they
could purchase. The richer people would purchase the oxen, and the poorer Jews
would purchase doves. There was much hustle and bustle outside the Temple outer
courts, and it was noisy.
Christ
saw this and He was JEALOUS, for the holiness of God’s House was being defiled
by the moneychangers. Perhaps it was that the moneychangers were charging
exorbitant prices for changing currency, and this is what made our Lord so mad
for their taking advantage of the situation to fill their own pockets with
money, instead of using the opportunity to properly give God His divine glory.
This was serious business, and the moneychangers crossed a line that Christ could not ignore. As we know, jealousy can turn into rage.
Christ did not just “react”
to the situation. You know how many times I have preached to you that it is
better to “respond” and not “react” to emotional situations. So what does
Christ do? He didn’t walk in there with a “cord” meant to “scourge.” No.
Silently, without any one taking any notice, He stopped to make the cord (a strong one, made of three strands, not two) Himself. The Bible tells us. So He was giving His actions great thought as He
took this time to make the cord, and it was not done as a ‘knee-jerk’ response
in human anger.
No. Christ’s divine jealousy
for God’s glory, for God’s temple, for the Holy Spirit can be seen not only in His
making the cord, and His scourging the animals away, but also in his
specifically zoning in on the moneychangers, who were opportunists, looking to
make money off the people. What did Christ do to them that was different than
what He did to the others? He actually scattered their money! It does not say that He scourged the moneychangers away. Can’t you just
picture them on the ground, picking up pennies while watching Christ and
wondering if they should be running away, instead? What a scene!
And which animals did Christ
treat “differently?” Which animals did He stop at? Which animals did He NOT
scourge, yet He stopped at them, AND gave His explanation of what He was doing
and why? Is it coincidence that it is the doves?
The doves represent
the Holy Spirit. Yes, indeed! He did not scourge the people selling doves, nor did He scourge the doves away; for they held special meaning to
Him, and to us. And by doing all of this, Christ fulfilled a Prophesy from the
Old Testament, proving once again that He was the Lord, the Messiah, and this
Temple was His Father’s house.
“God of
Wonders”
By Third Day
PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION:
Before we partake in Holy
Communion, we assure that we are:
(1)
Born Again, and
that
(2)
We harbor no ill
feelings towards another (i.e., we have forgiven);
(3)
We confess our sins
to God, whether known or unknown;
(4)
We plan to be
Baptized in Water by immersion, as we die to ourselves while under the water,
and become alive to Christ as we are raised from the water to breathe anew. We
tell someone of this new life, to solidify and seal our fate as a Christian.
SAY THE LORD’S PRAYER OUT LOUD:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our sins,
As we
forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory.
Forever and ever. Amen.
TOGETHER WE PARTAKE IN HOLY COMMUNION:
We proceed with Holy
Communion, in Remembrance of Christ’s death:
TAKING THE
BODY: We break off the
bread, eat it as His Body, and remember His death for us. Amen. As we chew it
and swallow it, it cleanses our bodies and our souls. (Eat the bread.)
TAKING THE
BLOOD: We drink the wine
that signifies His blood, for the shedding of all sins, as Christ died and took
our place for us on The Cross. (Drink the wine.)
You may sit or kneel after
taking Holy Communion, remembering Christ’s death for you. Christ does not want
us to forget it. God is a forgiving God full of love and mercy for us, and He
left the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ, as the Way, the Truth, and
the Light. Close your eyes and feel your body being rejuvenated by the Power of
the Holy Spirit!
COMMUNION
SONGS:
“Our
Father”
By J. Nez F. Marcelo
DONATIONS: We sponsor a truly “grassroots” orphanage and
ministry in Kampala, Uganda, with Pastor Steven Mwesigwa. Thank you for giving
food to feed the hungry, and to fill some of the pantry so that they do not run
out of food. Their school time is approaching, and to receive a Christian
education, upcoming needs will be to pay the School Headmaster and buy school
supplies for the orphans. Let us pray about this, each one of us, and do God’s
will.
PRAYER
REQUESTS: We pray for all that have needs for healing, housing, jobs,
transportation, and the basic needs of life.
PRAYER
REQUESTS: Father, Sylivano comes together to your alter, asking for
supplies and food for his orphans, that they may be blessed with Your love
overflowing.
PRAYER
REQUESTS: Each person may add a personal prayer.
CLOSING PRAYER: Praise
Your Name, dear Jesus, and thanks be to you, Holy Father, for letting us live
in a place where we can worship and glorify your name on High! Thank you for
answering our prayers in Your Time!
Thank you for forgiving my sins, help me to forgive
others, teach me to love my enemies, and let my soul sing your praises day and
night! Keep me near and dear to you always!
Help us minister to those whom You send, and show us
your mercy and kindness every day, just as we show forgiveness, mercy, and
kindness to our fellow neighbor. And as we pray, let us listen to that still,
soft voice of the Holy Spirit within us, who urges us and prompts us to act. In
Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
CLOSING
SONGS:
“As
a Deer”
By
Matt Gilman
“I Surrender”
By
Hillsong LIVE
THE GREAT COMMISSION ASSIGNED BY CHRIST HIMSELF:
To be “born again,” please note the PLAN
OF SALVATION, and from now on, let us work together to memorize the Scriptures so that we can lead some one to Christ:
1. All
have sinned. (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8)
2. There
is a penalty for sin (Romans 6:23; John 3:18)
3. You
cannot save yourself (Titus 3:5; James 2:10)
4. Salvation
has been provided (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; John 14:6)
5. The
conditions are simple: A. Repent (Luke
13:3); B Confess (1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9); C. Believe (Acts 16:31)
6. Now
is your time for a Decision (Joshua 24:15; 2 Corinth 6:2)
Do you repent for your sins?
Do you confess your sins to the Lord?
Do you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the
Son of God, into your heart?
If you answer “yes” to all these questions,
you are now a Born Again Christian! We love you! Welcome to the body of Christ!
Confess it with your mouth, or write it here! You must say it out loud! Praise
the Lord!
DISMISSAL: Go in peace and love, to serve the Lord with
all of your heart, mind, and soul. Go now, and Spread the Word of God to all
the Ends of the Earth! God Bless you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
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Dr Aranda's Short Stories
Age 31: The Color Blue
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