LCC Online Service - 03 May 2020
Welcome
Welcome, please click below for the video welcome message. (If your internet is giving you issues, the written version is below as well).
Good Morning fellow believers,
After the precedent last week set by Abi and Alan, conducting the service in gardens, we are following on with the theme, and considering calling our church “Lusaka Garden Church”.
Fellow believers, now scattered all over the world like in New Testament times, we are all facing immense challenges in the face of the Corona virus.
If I was facing you now in the church service, I would have asked a few people to volunteer some of the challenges you are facing.
Two of the answers that come to mind, quite ironically are the exact opposite of each other.
For some it is immense pressure to continue running a business under high risk, OR a household, OR a family that stays in one place all the time.
For others, ironically, it is the immense boredom of having to stay in one place, and not being able to go to work, visit friends, go to school etc.
AND
Fortunately for some, this situation has been a great blessing as I hear of some families that are spending more time with each other than ever before, having great times with their children, and building relational foundations that will last a life time.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge that I see, is to keep our eyes, ears and above all our spiritual sensitivity, on what the Lord is saying to us through the Holy Spirit. The Lord allows us to go through tough times, up to a limit, so that we are halted in our tracks, and make the time to hear His voice.
I had this experience over the last week as we moved factories. We frantically moved 15 years’ worth of machinery, and disposed of years of accumulated scrap and baggage. The pressure has been huge.
As I mentioned this huge stress, in addition to other stresses, a longstanding, and kind friend had the boldness to speak into my life and tell me that the Lord does not allow us to undergo stress greater than we can bear
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
This bold friend stated to me that this level of stress is my own doing! At first take this could sound like a kick in the teeth, when you are down, but it was a truth spoken in love. This was a challenge to check where I am getting my strength from
There are two suggestions I would like to leave you with today as we start our service.
Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and willing to encourage and challenge fellow believers.
Make time to invest in relationships, spending time with others, whether face to face, or via social media. (Hebrews 10:25 (NASB) - “Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”)
a. Relationships are the bottom line, that is why the Lord sent Jesus to die on the cross to restore the most profound of all relationships.
We commit this service to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Praise and Worship
Please select “play” on the image below and join with us in worshiping our Lord and Saviour. The video is a playlist so it should automatically transition to the next song.
Song List:
- 10,000 Reasons // What a Beautiful Name - Caleb + Kelsey
- Forever - Chris Tomlin (printable lyric sheet )
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Shane & Shane (printable lyric sheet )
- His Mercy Is More - Keith & Kristyn Getty (printable lyric sheet )
sermon
Sermon - Augustine Mulenga - Communal/Corporate Worship
Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 & Colossians 3:15-17
Please select Play below (depending on your bandwidth it could take a few seconds to buffer and play):
If you have issues playing the sermon, you can download it directly from Dropbox here:
Sermon Download
Prayer
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
- 1 Chronicles 16:8-11 (ESV)
Pray for eyes to see the hurting, for ears to hear their pain, for hands to provide healing.
Pray for hope, faith, and confidence to grow in each of our hearts. Pray that the Holy Spirit would quench all anxiety, fear, and doubt.
Pray for faith to arise in people’s hearts to dispel any confusion or fear.
Pray for the work of the Kingdom to continue to move forward in Chipata.
Pray for the Government and decision-makers to find efficient and effective ways to manage the country during this time. And for our political leaders to unite as they work to resolve the global crisis
Pray for the Pastoral Call Committee process.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever. For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
- Psalm 92 (ESV)
Please share your praises and prayer needs with any of the Elders via WhatsApp or email the church email or via the Prayer Form so that we can all continue being in prayer for one another.
Giving
If you feel led to give to the church, you are encouraged to use online transfer facilities (wire, mobile, TransferWise, etc). If you are unable to use contactless methods, you can still drop-off your offering at the church office during regular working hours. You can confirm any details with the church administrator by calling, texting, or WhatsApping: +260966800100
The church bank account details are below if you would like to use online transfer facilities:
Account name: Lusaka Community Church
$ acc #: 8700220232300
K acc #: 0150420232300
Bank: Standardchartered
Branch: Manda Hill
Branch code: 03000
Swift code: SCBLZMLX
Thank You
We are so thankful that you joined us this Sunday. It has been a month and a half since we switched to online services. This has not been ideal in most ways, and yet we are excited that many of our church family who are not living in Lusaka are able to rejoin us through this format. We are humbled to reflect on the number of people that have become part of the LCC family and have spread all across the globe.
This current time of life in the world has created lots of uncertainties and there is much loss and pain. May we be reminded of the story of Job, and ask God for faith like his. After he lost all that he had including loved ones, he humbled himself before the Lord and worshiped God:
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
- Job 1:20-22 (ESV)
May we encourage one another to hold fast to the Creator, not the creation. May we encourage each other to spend time on our knees praying for Kingdom perspectives. May we join with one another as the body of Christ to heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
We rejoice that near or far, we worship a God who is close to the broken, who loves each one of us, and has a plan that is so much bigger than this finite world.
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.- Numbers 6:25-28 (ESV)
Amen.