Home Gathering Service - March 29, 2020

 

Intro

Welcome to this Home Gathering Service! This guide has been prepared to facilitate times of worship wherever we are, whether you are alone, with your family, or gathered presencially or online with a few friends! May it be a blessing for you all! 

Opening 

an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father … an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21, 23-24)

Our heavenly Abba Father is seeking true worshippers. And what is worship? Is it singing at the Sunday service? What if there are no services on Sunday or any day?

As pilgrims and sojourners in this world, true worshippers of the one true God have throughout history been scattered, exiled, imprisoned and martyred for their faith, forced underground and from necessity gathered to meet wherever they could to worship God: to pray, sing hymns of praise, share testimonies, offer sacrifices, hear the Word, celebrate communion, receive the benediction. “Where” they met was not so important as “Who” they met – the living Creator God, King of the universe, Lord, Saviour, Redeemer, Comforter, Friend.

This God never changes, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do we believe this? Amid uncertainties with no clear end in sight, we have no other recourse than to trust Him, to cry out to Him in desperation.

True worship transcends our singing. True worship is offering our whole being, body, soul, spirit, as living sacrifices of praise, to the One with all authority in heaven and earth.

Worship Songs

Click in each title to watch and listen to the youtube clip.
You can also sing along following the on-screen lyrics!

Bible Readings:

Today's readings are from Philippians 2:1-11; Revelation 4

Philippians 2:1-11

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 4 

1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Sermon - Christ versus Corona

by Pastor Vic Dias

Choose between the audio version or the video version below.

VIDEO

AUDIO

Closing Song

Prayer

Spend time praying for the needs you are aware of, including:

  1. For our Health Care Providers
  2. For those impacted by lay-offs and the economy
  3. For those grieving the loss of a loved one
  4. For those who are without Christ
  5. For wise and effective political leadership
  6. For the safety and witness of our community and for the Church of Jesus Christ

Benediction:

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Encourage one another and build each other up. The Lord be with you all! 

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Donations

In case you would like to support MCF, you can tithe and give offerings through paypal using your credit card or by linking your bank account to make automatic monthly contributions. More info at mvcf.ca/give. Please email our treasurer Josh Wong at treasurer@mvcf.ca if you need help setting this up or if you have further questions.