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Gratia Sunday Service: Why the Resurrection is Important

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On April 11, 2021, Gratia Church held a graceful Sunday service, full of God’s word, praise, worship, and fellowship. The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on John 20:19-31 entitled “That by believing, you may have life in his name”.

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng first explained about the connection between the ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, 10 day later. The Lord’s ascension and return to the Father opened up a new era of the Holy Spirit. When we return to our Father in heaven, it is also a new era, the seed on earth sprouting a new vitality of life that is unimaginable as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, the chapter on resurrection.

Second, doubting Thomas needed to see and feel the nail marks of Jesus, but the Lord told him to stop doubting and believe. We also need to stop doubting whether or not the Lord really resurrected.  There is 1500 years of prophecy of the Lord with multiple prophets over multiple eras, multiple recording of the fulfillment by Jesus, multiple skeptics scrutinizing the Bible, yet the resurrection holds up in history. On Easter, the Lord rose.

Finally, there is an even more important reason why the resurrection is important. Apostle Paul says that if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, our faith is futile and we are still stuck in sin. It shows us that just as the ascension is closely tied with our own return to the Father after we die, the resurrection has a deep connection to our life here on earth. It’s that we don’t have to die of our sin to live a new life, because Jesus already died and rose again. All we need to do is accept the Lord and we can live a new life and be born again. It means that our life that we live on earth is meaningful just as the Lord’s resurrection is meaningful.

May we live our lives with the faith and power of resurrection for God’s glory and Kingdom.

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SF Gratia Graceful Friday Bible Study and Prayer Meeting

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Gratia Church held a graceful Friday Bible Study and prayer meeting on April 9, 2021. They finished the Romans 1-8 last week and are beginning a new series on Genesis to learn about the bigger scope of God’s history from the creation.

“Bible speaks about the purpose of our creation by God. We mostly try to self-generate our purpose but we should know that there is God’s essential and fundamental purpose of our being.  We are created in God’s image to receive His love, love God, and love others. Through the Genesis learn our purpose and how God is restoring his history,” said Pastor Walker.

Later in the day members gathered together to pray.  We pray that all church members can go deeper in faith through Bible Study and prayer.

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I Have Seen The Lord

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on John 20:1-18 entitled “I have seen the Lord”.

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explained about the love of Mary, John, and Peter being a witness to the empty tomb. It speaks to our love of God that keeps us going and allows us even to overcome hard times in faith. Love overcomes death and is a witness to the miracle of the empty tomb.

That being said, it’s important for love to grow deeper and beyond the empty tomb, it must see the risen Lord. What teaches us about the risen Lord? John pointed towards the Scripture. When we become deeper in the word, it burns in our heart and begins to transform our life.

Mary’s love was soaked in the sorrow of death, but she had her tears wiped away while having a conversation with the resurrected Lord. Although she didn’t recognize him at first, her eyes opened to the Lord, her tears became joy and she shouted, “Rabonni!” Easter is about witnessing the resurrected Lord. Not only being a witness, but our lives being transformed as well.

Jesus told Mary to not hold on and then he spoke about returning back to the Father. The resurrection is closely connected with the ascension, which is a complete transcendent change. In our life, we should also experience this transcendent change of God taking us to unimaginable places for His Will and Kingdom.

Mary testified, “I have seen the Lord!” This Easter, may our lives be a witness to the Lord who resurrects in our life and may we transform more greatly for God’s glory.

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Easter Retreat Bible Study

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Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:28-30

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Gratia Easter Retreat Full of Grace

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On April 3, 2021, Gratia Church held its Easter Retreat consisting of three Bible Studies on the Path of the Cross of Jesus Christ from John 18-19.  

“Do you know the meaning of the cross?  We must meditate on this deeply every day,” Pastor Walker said.  In the final part of the final Bible Study, Pastor Walker also exhorted members saying, “Live your life of faith now fully carrying the cross together with the Lord.  Don’t live with any regret and live fully for God’s Will that He has called you to.” 

Various Gratia members gave testimony and broke bread after the retreat.  Many remarked how grateful they were and received grace during the messages.

“The messages were so clear,” Sister Helen testified, “I really got to know deeply exactly what Jesus carried for us and why.”  Helen also testified that through the Bible Studies she is doing regularly, she is receiving grace and even caused her to try to evangelize her nephew visiting from China where he was never exposed to faith.

Thank God for such a grace filled Easter Retreat where many members could receive grace and grow in faith.  May God continue to bless Gratia Church to live for God’s Kingdom.  Please also pray for Easter Service that we may experience resurrection together with Jesus in our church

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Gratia Sunday Service: The Clear Voice of the Lord Calling Us

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On January 31, 2021, SF Gratia Church held a graceful Sunday service, full of God’s word, praise, worship, and fellowship. The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was from Mark 10:46-52 entitled “Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight.”

 In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng examined how we are all in the situation of Bartimaeus because of our spiritual sickness.  We are blind living in this superficial world and not being able to see the essential direction in which we should walk.  We are beggars because we are dependent on other people, enslaved to jobs, instead of being dependent on God.  We are also confused because there are so many voices speaking and rebuking us, just like they did to Bartimaeus.  

A blind man is able to walk straight, not by using his eyes, but by his ears.  We also must use our ears to cut through all the noise of the world and hear the clear voice of the Lord calling us.  Then, we must clearly walk to the Lord like Bartimaeus did.  Pastor Tzeng encouraged SF Gratia member to make a 40 day walk starting on Lent, which is starting on February 17.  

Finally, we see that Bartimaeus had true faith in the Lord and was able to be healed.  Faith isn’t complicated, it isn’t some wishy-washy confusing direction.  Faith is the channel for us to receive God’s amazing grace.  Simply to hear the Lord’s calling, open our hearts, and receive the guidance he gives us in our lives.   Although we are limited, God has no limit.  By the cross and resurrection, he raised Jesus Christ from the dead and gained victory over sin.  God can make miracles for our life too.

In whatever situation we are stuck and entrapped in our life, let us open our hearts and depend on God and taste the miracle of resurrection that will happen in our life too.

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Gratia Holds Thursday Oline Bible Study

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Gratia Church had a very graceful Thursday small group Bible Study, the first for the year 2021. Pastors Walker and Julia Tzeng led the group in praise and Bible Study on Romans 7:7-25.  Attendees also shared reflections and prayed together.   

  “Knowing the law doesn’t prevent us from sinning. Pharisees knew the law in detail, but that didn’t stop sin in this world.  Instead, it just created an atmosphere of anxiety, shame, and condemnation. This is limit of the law. Romans 7 explains that sin seizes the opportunity of knowing the Law to deceive us. You know what is right but Satan twists the holy knowledge of the Law and tempts us in sin. In fact, we are helpless in the spiritual battle on our own. We need the power of God. Paul’s realization that we are wretched people, helps us open our hearts to receive the Holy Spirit and salvation that comes from Jesus Christ,” Pastor Tzeng explained.

Please pray for all members of the group Bible Study to their heart to receive God’s truth and grace continually.

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Worship in Spirit as a Living Sacrifice(Romans 12)

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was from Romans 12:1-21 entitled “Worship in Spirit as a Living Sacrifice.”

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explicated Romans 12, exhorting members in practical aspects of the life of faith.  While the core of faith is receiving grace, it’s also important God’s love to overflow in us, transform us, and put the love into practice in our walk of faith.

In Romans 12, Paul explains the Biblical foundation for practical aspects of faith as us being living sacrifices.  The meaning of sacrifice in the Old Testament was never meant to be isolated rituals, but was always meant to point towards the heart of receiving forgiveness, repenting, and restoring our relationship with God.  

Finally, Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice, restoring our relationship with God once and for all.  Therefore, those of us who receive the Lord with faith, don’t need to give any more sacrifice, but instead our whole life is a living sacrifice, worshiping in spirit and truth.  

Paul also explains that it’s only when we actually walk the life of faith, can we begin to discern God’s Will for me.  It’s that God has all given us different spiritual gifts that should be used for the body of Christ.  The body, the church needs all its parts, so everyone is so important and precious in building God’s Kingdom.

Perhaps in Rome, like America today, there were many believers thinking of themselves to highly or despairing that they are lower.  We must remember that in the body of Christ, there is no higher or lower, but we are all serving by the irrevocable gifts and calling that God has blessed us with.

Romans 12 explains 7 spiritual gifts, 12 standards for living among brothers and sisters, and 12 standards for living with society.  In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explained each one by one, exhorting members to love one another, not take vengeance, and carry each other burdens.

In the New Year 2021, let us rely on God to help us walk with faith and reveal God’s glory and Kingdom in our church.

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New Wine into New Wineskins

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The sermon was from Matthew 9:1-17 entitled, “New Wine into New Wineskins”.

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng encouraged members to receive that unconditional grace and blessing of God to start off the New Year.  Even more than starting off the year “right” with New Year’s resolutions, it is about starting the New Year with righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ.

In the main passage, we see two other groups referenced.  Among the Jews, the Pharisees were the most lawful, knowing and doing everything right.  Also among the Jews, John the Baptist and his disciples were the group most pointed in the direction of the Gospel, since they had a repentful heart.  Yet, the Pharisees and John the Baptist’s disciples were still limited.  

They followed the Law or had a repentful heart out of obligation.  Their life of faith was always focused on not making a mistake and being perfect and right.  They always lived under the specter of fear instead of the freedom of love.  

How were the disciples of Jesus?  The Lord came and brought unconditional love.  Unconditional love means that there is no expectation of payback.  Being together with the Lord is not out of obligation, but like a wedding banquet – full of celebration, peace, and joy that only comes from Jesus Christ.  Maturity in love is realizing that I follow moral Law, not out of obligation to pay back the Lord, but simply because I love the Lord so by that love, I love Good and follow His Will.  

Jesus further explained that like a new cloth on an old garment, nor can new wine be put in old wineskin.  It means that this new way of unconditional love can’t fit under the old way of obligation and old way of Law can’t hold in this vitality of the Gospel.  The two can’t be mixed.  New wine needs to go into new wineskin.  Our church must be a new wineskin full of overflowing vitality and love of the Gospel within us.

If we walked the 2020 out of obligation and Law, let us start off 2021 by receiving the amazing grace that comes only from the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.  Through this, may our church be the place of the Kingdom.  

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Gratia church welcomed 2021 with New Year service

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Gratia church welcomed 2021 with a New Year service on Jan 1, 2021, giving the first hour back to God. Members of the Gratia church gathered on-site and online for the service.

Pastor Walker Tzeng delivered the message with the scripture 2 Corinthians 5:17, “The New is Here!”  The message compared Paul’s encounter with Jesus Christ with C.S. Lewis’ Voyage of the Dawn Treader and spoke about Paul’s excitement for being a new creation.  Pastor Tzeng encouraged members to receive God’s amazing and endless grace to begin the New Year.  

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