Paul’s third and final missionary journey is one which bears a striking resemblance to Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in Luke’s Gospel. It’s one that’s characterized overall by self-denial - something that Jesus modeled during His life and ministry and something that He requires of anyone who would follow Him. As Paul follows Jesus in his life, but also this journey, we discover what it looks like to leave ourselves behind and just how much we gain in Christ by losing ourselves.
This Sunday we’ll be introducing a new song during Sunday service. As we continue our journey with Paul in the Book of Acts, this Sunday’s sermon will remind us that we’re all on the journey of following Jesus. He’s called us all to follow him, and whatever comfort or security we forfeit and whatever self-denial, trial, or suffering we embrace is more than worth the cost because Christ is enough. Read through the lyrics and listen to the song before this Sunday to get acquainted with it.
Christ is my reward
And all of my devotion
Now there's nothing in this world
That could ever satisfy
Through every trial
My soul will sing
No turning back
I've been set free
Christ is enough for me
Christ is enough for me
Everything I need is in You
Everything I need
Christ my all in all
The joy of my salvation
And this hope will never fail
Heaven is our home
Through every storm
My soul will sing
Jesus is here
To God be the glory
Christ is enough for me
Christ is enough for me
Everything I need is in You
Everything I need
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back
No turning back
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back
No turning back
The cross before me
The world behind me
No turning back
No turning back
Every month, we recommend a new book for you to add to your library. You don’thave to buy it; you don’t have to do anything. But in a world where your mind is threatened by information overload, we want to recommend books and resources that are vetted, tried and true. In other words, with so much I could read, we want to help you find some books you should read.
This month’s book of the month is “Just Do Something” by Kevin Deyoung. Keying off of the sermon from Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36-18:22) from which we heard encouragement to pursue the Spirit-led life, this book helps us to answer the question, “how do we make decisions and seek the Spirit’s guidance when there’s no clear ‘right choice’ before us”. This short book helps you to understand wise biblical decision making. It’s definitely worth a read.
If you’ve been visiting for any length of time and would like to learn more about what we believe as a church and how those beliefs take shape in the life of the church, this class is for you. The aim is to help you discern if this is the church family the Lord is calling you to. We want to help you in that process. If we discover together that this isn’t the church for you, we want to help you find another church. If by the end of the class you believe this is where the Lord is leading you, then we’d love to take steps to welcome you as a member.
Prayer is the power of the powerless. It’s the timeless privilege of the Church. Let’s seize the opportunity to bring the needs of our neighbors and one another before the One who holds all creation within His grasp. Here are some suggestions for how you can be praying this week:
Pray for the salvation of our Santa Ana neighbors
Pray for God’s Spirit to be powerfully present to help us apply the Gospel to one another’s lives at tomorrow’s small group meetings
Pray for those experiencing loss in any form
Pray for other churches in Santa Ana to honor God’s Word and to faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Pray for our shared efforts to resume children’s ministry on the 28th
Pray for the families who are expecting
Pray for those seeking employment
Pray for the Lord to strengthen marriages in the church in Christ and for those seeking marriage to a godly spouse
Pray for CGSA pastors to lead courteously, humbly and sacrificially as ungdershepherds of Christ
Pray for city, state and federal leaders to lead in wisdom and honor Christ the King in their decisions and actions
Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:
10:00am - Meeting Room: Outdoor Courtyard
7:00pm - Houlton home and Erkelens home
Building on a tradition we inherited from our sending church, Cross of Grace Santa Ana has held an annual communion service on the springtime daylight savings Sunday. Normally, this would include switching our morning service to an evening service and partaking in a Communion meal together as a church.
This year, we’ll be continuing this tradition, yet during our regular morning meeting time and without a formal shared meal during the service in light of continued Covid restrictions. We hope to resume the fullness of the tradition next year.
Nevertheless, this service will be a unique opportunity to consider the meaning and significance of the sacraments Jesus left us with; to learn about how communion should function in our lives as Christians and to learn about the community that the communion meal illuminates.
Let’s feast for the glory of Jesus and the good of our souls.
Francis Schaeffer once said, “As Christians, we must understand that there is no word so meaningless as the word god until it is defined”. In Acts 17, before a crowd of some of the greatest thinkers of his age - who defined god in various different way - Paul defined the God of Christianity. What was perhaps most startling to his hearers was his assertion that his God was and is their God, whether they accepted Him or not. He had created them and they would stand before His judgment. And this God proves His claims because this God, the One true God, has backed up His claims by being raised from the dead.
The same God who Paul proclaimed to the Areopagus is the same God who reigns over every one of us today. How would you define God? Is the God of the Bible the God you have believed in? Hear more by listening to last Sunday’s sermon.
This Sunday we’ll be introducing a new song during our Sunday service. Last Sunday, we focused in on the subject of joy. The application to Sunday’s message included a directive to sing. This week, we’ll open our service by singing a song that gives expression to the joy that we derive from the hope of resurrection because of the resurrection of Christ. Read through the lyrics and listen to the song before this Sunday to get acquainted with it.
Verse 1
There is now a hope that lasts beyond our days
For the One that once was buried lives again
Now the tomb is bare and empty, and the stone is rolled away
Praise the Risen One who overcame the grave
Verse 2
All you broken-hearted, all you worn and weak
Come find living water, everlasting streams
To the wandering spirit, lost and searching
Wanting something more
Find the Risen King who overcomes the world
Chorus
Let there be dancing in the darkness
And let our song break through the night
Lift your voice and sing that Christ is King
For Jesus is Alive
Verse 4
No more condemnation, no more doubt, and fear
For our sin and shame, they have no power here
In His resurrection, perfect love has set the captives free
Praise the Risen King who stands in victory
This past year has presented many unique challenges to parents with small children - in virtually every sector of life, the normal routine has been upended. This includes church - there has been no children’s ministry or childcare for nearly an entire year now. We’re thrilled to announce that we’re finally moving toward resuming our children’s ministry programming.
Thankfully, this hasn’t meant that children have been left without discipleship and age-appropriate teaching from God’s Word entirely. That responsibility rests biblically and primarily with parents. And we’ve seen God’s grace evidenced in the families of our church this past year in this way!
However, children’s ministry often acts as a boon and support of this discipleship. It often also frees parents of infant and toddler children to worship together with the congregation and sit under the preached Word in an undistracted way. In other words, childcare can help parents “fill up” in order to more effectively “pour out” to their kids.
We’re working on digital check-in options. Surfaces will be sanitized. Adult volunteers will wear masks.
If you have children older than two years, thanks for your patience. We’ll roll out childcare for the next age group soon. Finally, as is always the case, we’ll need volunteers. All parents with children receiving childcare will be asked to volunteer at least once a month. But all others would be welcome to volunteer as well.
Please direct any questions you might have to Pastor Jeff at jeff@crossofgracesa.org
