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When the Time had Fully Come

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What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

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Gratia Concludes Christmas Retreat with Overflowing Grace

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Gratia Community Church concluded the 3-day Christmas retreat on December 17 with abundant grace. The last day featured Sunday service, Bible studies, sharing grace, leadership meetings, testimony time, and fellowship.

Sunday service and closing service was delivered by Pastor Walker, who focused on John’s Gospel testifying to Greeks about Christmas as the Word became flesh. Pastor Walker emphasized that being Christ-centered is to know the fullness of God who became flesh in Jesus Christ, and maturing in the Holy Spirit to become more Christ-like in all ways. In the closing service, Pastor Walker explained about God’s commandments to be fruitful, increase in number, and fill the earth – interpreted through Jesus Christ, it is to love God, love others, and to have love for this world to be transformed for God’s Kingdom. 

Bible Studies began with Brother Larry sharing a message from Matthew 4. His passion and relatability especially to young members was a time full of grace and a call to action in Jesus Christ. During testimony time, members from all cities participated in sharing the grace they had received.

Ministers were also able to meet following the retreat, to share grace and improve on the retreat going forward. They shared how graceful it was that young leaders began leading in this retreat and the hope is that more leaders will take a larger responsibility going forward and bring further developments and diversity in future retreats. 

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Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

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They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

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Gratia Young Leaders Launch First Worship and Prayer Night

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Young leaders at Gratia Church in San Francisco initiated, planned, and led Gratia’s first-ever worship and prayer night on December 8. Led by Brother Larry and Sister Ruth, the worship and prayer night was a new format for prayer meeting that SF Gratia church hopes to do once a month.

Normally, prayer meetings are led by pastors, but this new format was a praise-led prayer. As worship songs were being led, members were free to either pray or sing praises, according to how the Holy Spirit moved them. Interspersed through prayer and singing praises, Brother Larry also read from the Word of God with the following two verses:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ (Exodus 3:14)

Members testified that the praise-led prayer opened their hearts freely to receiving God’s grace in many ways.

“The worship and prayer night is really fitting for young people and very natural way to receive grace of God,” said Pastor Walker, “I’m grateful that God called our young leaders to start and lead this graceful night of worship and prayer.”

Brother Larry will lead worship and prayer during the upcoming Christmas Retreat. SF Gratia’s next worship and prayer night will be in late January 2024. Church leaders hope to advertise worship and prayer night in the new year as a method of evangelism to bring in newcomers. Please pray for SF Gratia young leaders and missions in San Francisco.

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He Saw Everything Clearly

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The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was on Mark 8:22-26 entitled “He saw everything clearly”. The following is a summary of the sermon.

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. (Mark 8:22)

In Mark 8, we are introduced to a blind man who is brought before the Lord and healed. This miracle, recorded, serves not only as a testament to Jesus’ divine power but also as a symbolic representation of spiritual blindness. The recording in Mark was especially relevant as a message to powerful and capable societies like ancient Rome.

This message also resonates with all of us in modern America today. Self-assurance often masks a deep-seated spiritual blindness and it’s a condition that persists in our times. We are born into a world where our values and beliefs are shaped by a convoluted history, often leading us away from the truth. This passage challenges us to recognize our blindness – to the truths about ourselves, our world, and our need for a savior.

Just as the blind man in the Gospel was brought to Jesus by friends who recognized his need, we too must acknowledge our own spiritual blindness and turn to Christ for healing and salvation.

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” (Mark 8:23-24)

The process of healing for the blind man was unique since it occurred in stages. Initially, the man saw people as trees walking, a partial and unclear vision. This gradual healing mirrors two prevalent attitudes in Jesus’ time, as well as in our own.

First, there were the Pharisees and teachers of the law, burdened by the minutiae of over 600 laws, leading to a life of religious rigor but also spiritual suffocation. This is akin to seeing trees – an awareness of sin and righteousness but lacking clarity and freedom. On the other hand, the Greeks, known for their logic and philosophy, recognized a higher power but lacked a personal understanding of God. Both methods see something, but are ultimately a frustrating and partial.

These two perspectives – legalistic righteousness and logical reasoning about God – represent our own struggles to comprehend God and our place in His plan. Our efforts, whether through action or intellectual reasoning, often leave us feeling stifled, as if we’re seeing only part of the truth. This mirrors our own life experiences, where we sense a path forward but find ourselves impeded by our limitations and complexities.

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.” (Mark 8:25-26)

The story culminates with Jesus fully restores the man’s sight. This two-stage healing is reflective of spiritual growth in faith. Initially, we might only grasp the basics – the ‘milk’ of faith, such as the straightforward commandments of the Law. But this is not the end goal. The ‘solid food’ of faith is understanding and embracing the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Just as Paul adapted his teachings to the Jews and Greeks, acknowledging their respective stages of understanding, we too must recognize that spiritual maturity is a journey. Some might start with a desire for clear, moral directives or intellectual answers about faith – the ‘milk’. But eventually, we must progress to the ‘solid food’ – the core message of Jesus Christ, His crucifixion, and resurrection.

The Gospel is about transforming our lives through the love of Christ, moving from a vague understanding to a clear vision of God’s will. This passage invites us to go back to the Lord and experience a second miracle – being ‘born again’ in the love of the Lord.

Let us pray for the grace of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, enabling us to live in the love of Christ, to see our world, our lives, and God’s kingdom with newfound clarity and purpose.

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Gratia Church Campus Group Evangelism

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Gratia Church had a graceful group evangelism and Bible studies on November 30. It was the last day of November and also the final group evangelism activity for this fall semester, as the school will soon start winter break. Pastor Peter, Julia, and other young members, Larry, Jiaming, Ruth, and Jed, joined, and later Elizabeth came along when she met the members on the campus. It was a very graceful and fruitful time as they met many students who showed interest in joining Bible study.

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Where Are the Other Nine?

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In the sermon, Pastor Walker explained that Jesus was going through a region usually avoided by Jews, due to their disdain for Samaritans. This sets the stage for a significant event that underscores themes of inclusivity, love, and redemption. In this passage, Jesus encounters ten lepers, who are not only suffering from a physical ailment but also represent the spiritual and societal isolation akin to sin. This interaction goes beyond mere physical healing; it symbolizes Jesus’ outreach to all humanity afflicted by the ‘leprosy’ of sin. The plight of the lepers reflects the isolation and separation from God caused by sin, akin to living in a global leper colony. This section of the passage emphasizes the importance of recognizing one’s own spiritual sickness to seek and receive healing from Jesus, resonating in a world where physical proximity often masks underlying emotional and spiritual isolation.

As the passage progresses, the lepers’ plea to Jesus for healing becomes emblematic of a broader human predicament. Their request represents the humility and acknowledgment necessary for seeking salvation. This moment signifies a deeper understanding of spiritual needs and acknowledges that true healing, both in physical and spiritual forms, comes through faith in Jesus. The isolated state of the lepers parallels the pervasive loneliness in modern society, suggesting that spiritual leprosy is comparable to the emotional and social isolation prevalent today. This part of the passage extends the metaphor to loneliness as an incurable disease, highlighting the profound human need for Jesus’s healing and grace.

The passage culminates with a powerful demonstration of gratitude’s transformative power. While all ten lepers are physically healed, only the Samaritan returns to express gratitude, indicating true spiritual healing and salvation. His act of thanksgiving, more than a mere polite gesture, is a transformative expression of deep appreciation for Jesus’s love and sacrifice. It illustrates that true healing encompasses not only the physical aspect but also a transformation of the heart, marked by genuine gratitude and a changed life. This gratitude is a vivid expression of faith and a testament to the transformative power of Jesus’ love and salvation.

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Gratia Celebrates Thanksgiving with Grateful Heart

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Gratia Church celebrated Thanksgiving with a grateful heart through a service and Thanksgiving dinner on November 21. Pastor Walker delivered a message from Psalms 100: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Members brought delicious food, fostering a sense of unity and enjoyment during the fellowship meal. It was a wonderful time for everyone to reflect on God’s grace and express full thanksgiving. May God’s grace continue to be with us in the coming years, and may joy overflow in our hearts with gratitude.

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The Prayer of Elijah

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In the sermon, Pastor Walker explained that the great prophet Elijah stands as an example the effectiveness of powerful prayer, exemplifying a profound connection with God that we too can strive to emulate. His confrontation with King Ahab and the prophets of Baal is a pivotal moment, revealing the stark contrast between the worship of false idols and the true God. As Elijah challenges the people to choose between the allure of temporal satisfaction and the eternal God, the story speaks to contemporary times where similar distractions persist. The fire from heaven that consumed Elijah’s sacrifice is more than a miraculous display; it symbolizes the purifying truth of God’s word, which has the power to burn away the idols of our time, be it greed, lust, or materialism. This narrative calls for introspection and a decision: to continue wavering or to commit to the path of righteousness, where the Lord’s truth reigns supreme.

Elijah’s faith was not merely reflective but actionable. He senses the impending end of the drought and prepares for the rain he believes God will provide. His prayer posture, earnest and humble, is one of complete submission to God’s will. This account illustrates that a person of faith possesses a spiritual sensitivity, an awareness of God’s workings that transcends the physical and the immediate. Just as Elijah did, believers are called to prepare for the blessings God will bestow, a task that often requires persistence and a heart attuned to the divine. In a world that seeks tangible proof for every claim, the story of Elijah beckons us to a higher standard, where faith is the evidence of things not seen, and prayer is the means through which divine plans are realized.

Elijah’s persistent prayer for rain, sending his servant seven times to look for a cloud, underscores the virtue of perseverance in faith. This persistence is reflective of a heart that truly seeks God, understanding that His timing and methods are beyond human comprehension. The eventual downpour from a small cloud is a testament to the potential of faith that perseveres. This passage invites believers to maintain hope and optimism, even when the beginnings are as small as a mustard seed. It’s a call to believe in a God who sees the potential for great storms in the smallest of clouds, a God who envisions a grand future for even the humblest of His followers.

Elijah’s prayer was effective and righteous, and through his example, we are encouraged to lean into the Holy Spirit, allowing it to intercede in our weaknesses, to transform our small beginnings into abundant blessings.

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Gratia Sunday Service: The 7000 Who Have Not Bowed Down to Baal

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On November 12, 2023, 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 1 Kings 19:1-21 entitled “The 7000 who have not bowed down to Baal”.

In the sermon, Pastor Walker spoke about the tumultuous time for the nation of Israel, divided and led astray by depraved secular kings and rampant idolatry. Amidst this time, Elijah stood as a beacon of prophetic truth. His solitary struggle against the wicked Queen Jezebel, who championed the worship of Baal, highlights a profound spiritual crisis. Elijah, chased into the wilderness, epitomizes the isolation and despair that can afflict even the most righteous. His experience underscores the reality that spiritual crises are not just physical but deeply emotional and psychological. It’s a stark reminder of the loneliness that can come from standing for truth and righteousness in a world that seems indifferent or even hostile.

Elijah’s moment of utter desolation under the broom bush, or Rodem Tree, becomes a pivotal point of divine intervention. The angelic provision of sustenance symbolizes more than mere physical nourishment; it represents a spiritual rejuvenation. This episode teaches that in moments of deepest despair, God’s presence is profoundly transformative. It’s a reminder that in our own journeys, when we walk righteously yet fall into despair, it is the grace of God that sustains and renews us. The journey to Mount Horeb, echoing Moses’ own pilgrimage, signifies a return to the foundations of faith, a reminder that God’s grace is often most apparent in our most desperate moments.

The story of Elijah culminates in the revelation at Mount Horeb, where God’s voice emerges not in grand displays of power but in a gentle whisper. This teaches the importance of cultivating a quiet and receptive heart, attuned to the subtle yet profound ways in which God communicates. The message extends further, revealing that Elijah is not alone in his faithfulness; there are 7000 others who have not bowed to Baal. This discovery highlights the existence of a faithful remnant, a group that remains steadfast amidst widespread idolatry and moral decay. The calling of Elisha, from plowing fields to prophetic ministry, exemplifies God’s power to transform and use the seemingly ordinary for extraordinary purposes.

Today’s message is one of hope and challenge, inviting us to be part of the transformative work of God in a world that desperately needs change, not by the power of the masses, but through the faithful few.

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