Welcome to Gratia Community Church
Gratia church had a graceful time of campus evangelism on May 3, 2022. Some members from the USF joined the campus evangelism.
Despite the business of the students during the final, there were some who showed interest in the Bible study during the summer. Gratia prays for the young people can come to know Jesus Christ and receive salvation.
On April 17, 2022, Gratia Church held a graceful Easter service to celebrate the joy of the resurrection and the victory of the Lord. The service began with a special Easter song that young members of Gratia had prepared.
The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on John 21:1-14 entitled, “Palm Sun It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn”. The sermon focused on the Lord’s grace in guiding us from the cross towards the resurrection. He encourages us to be fishers of men with a new net and boat, which is the Word and belongs to Church. We are a living sacrifice in living communion with God through the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Following the baptism, members had communion together with the service of bread and wine, which Sister Kellie organized. It was a beautiful time when the body of Christ could celebrate the Lord’s love and life that he gave to all of us.
Gratia held a graceful Easter retreat on April 16, 2022. During the Easter Retreat, Pastor Walker preached on John 20 over two Bible Studies. The first Bible study focused on Mary, John, and Peter’s witness of the empty tomb. The second Bible Study focused on the receiving of the Holy Spirit and doubting Thomas. Members were exhorted to go beyond the cross and live a life of resurrection.
After the Bible studies in the morning members hiked Mt Davidson where there is a big cross on top of the mountain and enjoyed the beautiful nature. Everyone received abundant grace through this time and wants to celebrate the risen Christ.
Gratia Church concluded spring retreat with overflowing grace from God. They gathered in the mountains of Yosemite and the theme of the retreat is “The Path of the Cross” studying through the recording of the path of the cross from John 18-19.
During breaking bread fellowship time, many of the newer Bible Study students testified to understanding the suffering of Jesus more deeply. Meal times were full of grace because retreat attendees had spent a long two days with one another and now know each other more deeply as a spiritual family and could share grace in fellowship together.
As retreat attendees parted ways, many spoke about wanting to gather again more frequently. Please pray for all retreat attendees take a leap of faith towards God’s glory and Kingdom through the grace of God given at this spring retreat.
In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng spoke about the faith of David and asked the question, “What is our Goliath?” Goliath was a Philistine champion, over 9 feet tall, strong, with heavy armor, and representing the greatest of human strength. In our life, there are imposing things of the world we must overcome whether it be the obstacle of sin or even victory for God’s Kingdom. Goliaths speak to our fears and insecurities in the world. The Israelite army faced Goliath with fear, but David only had the holy fear of the Lord and faced Goliath with faith in God.
Like the rest of the world, Goliath puffs himself up with a fake form on the outside, but has nothing true and eternal on the inside. David has the form of a weak shepherd boy, but he has a big heart of love for God on the inside. What image do we have? Rather than the fake outside form of the world, we should go with the image of God. Saul wanted to fit David in his armor, but it didn’t fit him. Instead, David went with what God has given him – a staff and 5 smooth stones from the river.
Finally, very famously, David strikes Goliath on the forehead with a stone and defeats him. This is the method of faith. He doesn’t use the tools of the world, but went with what God gave him. The staff is the Word of God that God has given us. He’s also given us all the tools we need. We should find the 5 smooth stones around us that we can use to gain victory. God has already given us everything we need to defeat Goliath. The victory is with the Lord. God is the one who overturned the cross of Jesus into the resurrection.
May we walk with the glory of resurrection and victory that God has given us as well.
In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng told the historical story of King Saul and King David. Saul started off humbly, but his pride led to using humanistic thinking, rather than the power of God. He looked at the situation around him and tried to use his own power, rather than obeying God. This was true when he failed to wait for the prophet Samuel to give offering and was true again when kept what he considered “good” things of the wicked nation of the Amalekites. Anything with a humanistic start cannot give glory to God.
Through the prophet Samuel, we can learn that deep inside of Saul’s heart was rebellion, arrogance, and self-idolatry. He asserts the biblical truth that obedience is better than sacrifice. There are layers of depth in the heart and obedience is a deeper heart of love than is sacrifice. It’s not that sacrifice is bad, but sacrifice can easily turn superficial. Obedience is simpler, but relies on God and has humbleness. Obedience is a deeper heart of love than sacrifice is.
When choosing David, his own father Jesse overlooked him, but the Lord looks at the heart. Whatever our outward image may be, we can’t hide from God, He knows our hearts clearly. Is what I am doing have a pure motivation? Do I have a humanistic motivation, or is my motivation one of overflowing in God’s love. God doesn’t look at the outward appearance, because He can use even the one without a great outward appearance to do great work. Jesus himself was born in a manager and died on the cross, yet his heart of unconditional love shined through and he gained victory on the cross.
May we also gain victory with the power of God, knowing that God looks at the heart, so let us be a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.