REMEMBERING THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

Today marks the 506th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, a German Monk named Martin Luther nailed a document calling for reform in the Catholic Church to the door of the local church in Wittenburg. What followed was a movement that has changed both the church and the world to this day!

SOMETHING TRUE, NOT SOMETHING NEW

The triumph of the Reformation wasn’t the development of new doctrine that took the world by storm, but the rediscovery of the biblical gospel. It was the recovery of “the church’s true treasure,” as Luther said time and time again.

As a Sovereign Grace Church, we gladly locate ourselves downstream of the heritage and theology that flowed out of the Reformation. “Reformed Theology” is one of the 7 Shared Values that mark our family of churches. The story of the Reformation is important to us because it’s a story that helps us better understand ourselves as it points us to the shoulders of the gospel-centered saints of old that we still stand upon today.

RESOURCES TO KEEP US REFORMING

You can find an excellent summary of what the Protestant Reformation was all about and why it remains relevant today in the article Does the Reformation Still Matter? by Stephen Nichols. In addition to this, below you will find a selection of resources that will immerse you in the story of the Reformation as you sing, watch, and listen to the events which have shaped our church and the world around us.

• Sing

  • The Five Solas by Psallos puts the 5 summary slogans of the Reformation (Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, & God’s Glory Alone) to music and drives the truth of the gospel down into our hearts.

• Watch

  • Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer - Available to stream for FREE. “Watch this documentary to discover the events God used in Martin Luther’s life that led him to rediscover the gospel of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.“ You can also download Ligonier’s free accompanying study guide.

  • The Story of Martin Luther - a short, kid-friendly animated film surveying the life of Martin Luther.

• Listen

  • Luther: In Real Time - There are 2 seasons to the podcast. It was first released 500 years after the events described, this podcast allows you to walk in Martin Luther’s footsteps from his heresy charges to his famous stand for the authority of God’s Word at the Diet of Worms.

We hope this list makes you grateful to God for his work in the past and also encourages you to keep the spirit of the Reformation alive as we seek to always be reforming our church and our lives according to God’s Word. Semper Reformanda!

GOD’S MYSTERY REVEALED IS THE CHURCH

The unity of Ephesians 2:11-22 is the great mystery of Ephesians 3:1-13. In and through this "new man" - the Church - is the way in which God will save all mankind. The uniting of Jew and Gentile is Step 1 in God's plan "to unite all things" in Christ (Eph. 1:10). From the beginning, God has had one plan to save his one people made up of every tribe, nation, and tongue in his grand pursuit of setting all things at one with himself. Paul's binding in chains is no sign that God's glorious plan isn't going forward (Eph. 3:1, 13). So we should take heart and marvel at what we've been caught up in.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

FIGHT FOR THE UNITY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

If you want unity, you must find it in Christ. If you want to be a follower of Christ, you must pursue unity. Unity is not optional. (Eph. 4:3) 

Last Sunday, in a sermon from Ephesians 2:11-22, we gave you six ways to pursue unity in the local church and encouraged you to choose one, discuss it, and prayerfully pursue it. Here are those six ways in written format to assist you on your continued pursuit. 

1)    Forgive

 The greatest threat to our unity is unforgiveness. We will have conflicts and we will offend each other. The conflicts aren’t a threat to our unity. Our unwillingness to give grace and forgive is the threat. The conflicts are opportunities for grace to shine! An absence of grace among those who have been chosen, made alive, and saved by grace is a contradiction. “The church is the arena where the results of Christ’s peacemaking are to be seen …The peace gained at the cost of Christ’s death and realized in the church is to be preserved and demonstrated and to be proclaimed by the Church in the world.” – AT Lincoln

2)    Love Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in and through Christ

Don’t let the world co-opt these beautiful concepts and words. Be careful also not to turn your nose up at them. Diversity and unity in the midst of diversity are God’s ideas. Belonging of all people from different backgrounds is God’s idea. The world has missed both the problem and the solution. It’s our responsibility and joy to put a better way on display. Let Jesus reign over diversity, inclusion, equity, access, and belonging by GRACE.

3)    Extend grace to those outside

Close to the heart of the Jews’ problem Paul referenced in Ephesians 2:12 was that they judged those who were “not in” for not being in.  How do you respond to those seeking unity and inclusion apart from Christ? Do you speak about them in a demeaning, adversarial, or sarcastic fashion? Friends, our unbelieving neighbors desperately want unity and belonging. Everybody wants church. But not everybody wants Christ. But at one time, neither did we … So we should courageously and compassionately give them Christ. And pray for them and ask the Lord to move on their hearts so they’ll belong to this awesome family. 

4)    Look for “stones" that are out of place

Be on the lookout for members of the church who are on the outside. Who don’t feel like they belong. Who feel lonely and isolated. Maybe who are just new. Seek them out and draw them in.

5)    Don’t rebuild the wall of hostility

Are you giving general preference to one group of people who are like you in a certain way to the exclusion of another group. There is no “core team” and “new members” in our preference of one another.  There are no “young people” and “old people”. There is no “singles” and “marrieds”. There are no “latinos” and “Asians” and “white people”. There are no “fantasy football people” and “non fantasy football people”. Here’s a test: There should be no social groups within the church that are inaccessible.

6)    Speak well of one another

The way we speak about one another is critical. Gossip, slander, and even jokingly speaking about the flaws, temptations, and weaknesses of others threatens the unity of the local church and distorts the beauty of what God has accomplished in us in Christ.

Our unity in Christ is precious. May He preserve it until the day we die or the day He returns.  

ALL LADIES, HIGH-SCHOOL AGE AND OLDER ARE INVITED

Our Women’s Ministry exists to spur women on in their pursuit of Christ through biblical discussion and building friendships. Each month the ladies of CGSA meet together for a time of discussion and prayer in order to grow in Christ. We hope to see you there!

Join IN tonight at 7pm at the Schlieder Home

REMINDER: ELEMENTARY CLASS WILL TAKE A BREAK every 5th sunday

This Sunday is the 5th Sunday in October, so we’ll only offer the Preschool Class. All kids 6 and up will remain with us after the singing portion of our service to hear the preached word outside of their usual classroom setting. We’ll have coloring sheets, our pastors will prepare the kids to listen well to the Sunday sermon, and children and their parents will hear the gospel side by side.

We believe this break will provide an opportunity to bridge the gap between Children’s Ministry and the regular life of the church and get our kids ready for what comes next once they graduate from the Elementary Class. We also believe it will provide a helpful pattern of rest for our Children’s Ministry volunteers who serve so joyfully and selflessly every Sunday morning.

OCTOBER 24 - OCTOBER 29

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:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30 am - French Park Grass Area

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26: WOMEN’S MEETING

• 7:00 pm - Schlieder Home

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

TRUE UNITY IS IMPOSSIBLE APART FROM CHRIST

In Eph 2:11-22, Paul reminds the Ephesian church that when they were saved by grace and raised up with Christ, they entered into a new life with a new people. When they became united to Christ by faith, they became united with everyone else who's become united to Christ by faith - regardless of how different, divided from, or at odds with they might have been before. God saves us as individuals into a community - a people, a body, a family of God made up of all those who have been brought near to God through the cross of Christ in the power of the Spirit. There's no way to be a Christian apart from belonging to this family. There's no way to have peace with God apart from walking in peace with each other. In the Church, God holds out to the world a true end to the hostility we have toward one another, because in his cross, Jesus Christ took our hostility upon himself in order to kill the hostility between us. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

COME DISCUSS WITH US

Our next Bridge Course session is Monday, October 23rd at 7pm. We’ll be diving into the topic of the trustworthiness of the Bible. Is this ancient book reliable and relevant to speak to us today? Is it just one collection of humanity’s religious feelings and ideas among many others, or is it truly a word from God himself? We’ll explore all this and more over the course of a meal, a talk, and a conversation where every perspective is encouraged. Even if you’ve missed the previous sessions, ALL are welcome to join in as we wrestle through these big questions of life. Sign up below or invite a friend and we’ll see you on 10/23 at Hopper & Burr (202 W 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701).

REGISTER FOR THE CLASS HERE

STARTING POINT- SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5

The church is like a body with many members (1 Cor. 12:12). Our lives are connected. We need one another. Church membership is our way of ensuring everyone who belongs to our congregation enjoys the benefits and privileges of being a part of Cross of Grace Church.

We want to make it simple for anyone interested in becoming a member of Cross of Grace Church to pursue the process. If you’ve been visiting for any length of time, this class is for you. We invite you to join us for one two-hour class on a Sunday afternoon immediately following our worship service. The aim of the class is to provide an introduction to what we believe and how those beliefs shape our life together as a church. Lunch and childcare are provided.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS CLASS, REGISTER HERE

INVITE OUR NEIGHBORS TO HAVE LUNCH WITH US

This Sunday is the final Picnic in the Park in 2023! Get ready to eat together, play games, and enjoy one another’s company in the heart of our neighborhood. Make it your priority to invite our French Park Neighbors to join us. Send a text, knock on a door, or reconnect with someone you met at the Block Party and extend the welcome. Make sure you remind them to bring a lunch as well!

SEE YOU AFTER CHURCH ON 10/22/23

Let’s take the joy of Jesus to neighbors. After service this Sunday, head over to French Park to spend time together in the middle of the neighborhood God has placed us in. Here are the details:

• It’s “BYOL” (bring your own lunch). If you forget your lunch or your favorite lunchbox isn’t clean, there are plenty of great restaurants nearby in DTSA.

• Bring some folding chairs - unless you like sitting on the grass, bring something to sit on.

• Expect the Lord to build existing relationships and create new ones with our neighbors.