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Graceful Outdoor Fellowship On Memorial Day

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Gratia church members had a graceful outdoor fellowship on May 31, on Memorial Day on Pacifica Beach right next to the Half Moon Bay. It was a bright sunny day that they enjoyed being outside in the warm weather, playing on the water, had lunch, and hiking on the trail by the beach shore. It was the first time of in-person fellowship ever since COVID and members were very happy to meet together. May the grace of God strengthen each other and continue the path of faith to grow together in Jesus Christ.

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Acts 3 – Look At Us

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on Acts 3:1-10 entitled “Look at us!”

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng examined the difference between the disciples and the crippled beggar in front of the temple. The crippled beggar is the one who looks at the hand, reliant on money, and whose very being is confined in the world. The disciples were exactly like the crippled beggar before, confined in the upper room in fear from the world.

However, the power of the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and their very being was shifted towards God’s Kingdom, no longer confined in the world. That is why they were able to say “Look at us!” to the crippled beggar. They were able to be like that through the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in their lives. While we are not individually strong, God has called us as a church to strengthen one another to be a part of God’s Kingdom.

May Gratia Church be full of the Holy Spirit as a body of Christ.

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The Early Church

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on Acts 2:42-47 entitled “The Early Church”.

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explained about the characteristics of the early church which started on Pentecost as the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples. Prior to Pentecost, the disciples were gripped in fear and locked in the upper room of Mark. It was the Holy Spirit which empowered the disciples to go out to the world.

The blessing of the Holy Spirit has come to us all through Jesus Christ. Prior to Jesus, the Holy Spirit was only with a few people very hundred years and also in the temple as well. After Jesus, we understand that we ourselves are God’s temple and the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, dwells in the church, and dwells in the body of Christ. Therefore, the church is important because it is the place where the people of the Holy Spirit are gathered.

The characteristic of the early church is that they focused on the Word, had fellowship, prayed, and shared everything, overcoming possessions. Our church must be a church that focuses on the Word, which is why we focus on Bible Study. We also must have good fellowship, developing a holy culture, not a culture of the world. Also, we live praying and sharing with one another.

Finally, the Bible teaches us that the early church spent time together in the temple courts and in each other’s homes. Our church must be one who people center their lives and grow as people in community. We don’t live lonely by ourselves, but we live among others. From the outside, it may look strange as if church should just be one activity among many. But we see the original image of the early church where the disciples centered their lives around the church.

May Gratia Church also be a church that models itself after the early church and live for God’s Kingdom.

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When The Day of Pentecost Came

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on Acts 2:1-41 entitled “When the day of Pentecost came”.

In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng delivered a message in preparation for Pentecost, explicating the meaning of it. The Shavuot celebrates the barley harvest after the Passover, while the Pentecost literally means 50th and is the festival celebrating the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The deep meaning correlates with the Jesus Christ who died for us on the cross and then 50 days after Easter was the Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down with wind and tongues of fire. The kernel of wheat that died, produced many seeds which finally ripened as a fruit, when the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit.

In his sermon, Peter explains that the coming of the Holy Spirit was prophesied since the Old Testament by the prophet Joel. Of course, the Holy Spirit existed in the Old Testament, but only a few prophets received it every hundred years. But through the precious blood of the Lord, he was resurrected and we all enjoy the Holy Spirit. The church started on the Pentecost with the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit.

We also must reflect on receiving the Holy Spirit in our lives and living for God’s Will. Coming to church is not just about staying the same, but it is about changing our lives to be fruits before God. As we approach the Pentecost, we must self-reflect deeply on receiving the Holy Spirit and being a fruit before God.

The Pentecost was amazing, because it showed the amazing power of resurrection and the Holy Spirit which came down. From the one who died for us all Jesus Christ, it became 120, and then 3000. It shows us that the power of the Holy Spirit works so powerfully and not just in a 1 to 1 way. If we are the kernel of wheat that also serves, loves, and self-sacrifices like the Lord, then God will help our church grow not just 1, 2, 3 people, but it will be 120 and 3000.

May we prepare our hearts for the Pentecost and truly rely on the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our church.

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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.