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CrossPoint Community News 01/12/2024

by | Jan 12, 2024 | Announcement, CrossPoint Community Ministry, FrontPage-News | 0 comments

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Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 
       On New Year’s Eve, students from the Empower Fellowship led us in worship. They led us in a song called “All Sufficient Merit.” It was the first time I had heard the song, but its packed with powerful truths. So, for today’s update, let’s unpack the lyrics a bit. 
 
“All sufficient merit shining like the sun 
A fortune I inherit by no work I have done 
My righteousness I forfeit at my Savior’s cross 
Where all sufficient merit did what I could not” 
     Verse One begins with declaring the righteousness of Christ. It is glorious, and it is ours because Christ has made us his own. We didn’t earn it. This verse reminds me of what Paul writes in Phil. 3, where He is seeking a righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. He knows that his works, his background, his ethnicity don’t make him right with God. It’s what Jesus has done. 
 
“In love He condescended eternal now in time 
A life without a blemish the Maker made to die 
The law could never save us our lawlessness had won 
Until the pure and spotless lamb had finally come” 
     Verse two echoes truths from Phil. 2, how Christ came and emptied himself. And then truths from Mark 10:45 and 1 Peter 1:19 are declared in the second line. Romans 3 is referenced in the third line and Ex. 12, John 1:29, and 1 Peter 1:19 are mashed up in the fourth line. 
 
The chorus breaks into declared truth: 
“It is done it is finished no more debt I owe 
Paid in full all sufficient merit now my own” 
      Jesus declared “It is Finished” on the cross (John 19:30). And the debt we have has been cancelled through Christ’s work (Col. 2:14). It has been paid in full. His merit is accounted as our own. (Heb. 10:10-14) 
 
“I lay down my garments any empty boasts 
Good works now all corrupted by the sinful host 
I’m dressed in my Lord Jesus a crimson robe made white 
No more fear of judgement His righteousness is mine” 
      Verse three echoes Col. 3 and Rom. 13 – where we are told to take off our sinful nature, which is displayed in corrupted works. But now, by faith, we have put on Jesus. The verse recalls the promise of God in Is. 1:18 and the truths of 1 John 4:17 because He considers us righteous through our Lord Jesus (Phil. 3). 
 
“All sufficient merit firm in life and death 
The joy of my salvation shall be my final breath 
When I stand accepted before the throne of God 
I’ll gaze upon my Jesus and thank Him for the cross 
Yes I’ll thank Him for the cross” 
     Verse Four talks about what will come at the end of our lives or the end of this world. It echos Revelation 5 and 7 – declaring that we will stand before God, accepted because of what Christ has done. And we will praise Him for his glorious work on the cross. 
 
Finally, please continue to pray for the nations of Palestine and Ukraine. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age. 

This Week (Jan. 12-18, 2024):

1. Tonight, Jan. 12, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study the question “Is Jesus the Only Way to God?” You can read 1 John 5:1-13 to prepare. Join in person in Room A-216 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:

https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09  
Meeting ID: 685 376 249   
Password: 840840   
Join by phone:  +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)

Also, the Empower Fellowship (Current College-aged Students) will be meeting in the Empower Room (A-201A) beginning at 7:30 pm!

2. HBtoo! will be gathering this coming Saturday Night (on Jan. 13, 2024) at CBCGL at 5:30 pm. We will have time for a shared meal, a brief devotional, and then time for our study in “Marriage” by Paul Tripp. We’ll discuss the third daily commitment – found in the 9th and 10th chapters – and also have dessert. So please bring a dish to share (which would be enough to feed your family), and if you want, something for dessert.
Location: Main Cafeteria (and MPR for kid’s games/activities).
Time: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm

3. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School and Empower Sunday Schools are meeting this Sunday. The Grace Ambassadors will continue a discussion of “The Pilgrim’s Progress: Part 2”. The Living Stones will be studying an Overview of the NT in the Koinonia Room (A-216). They will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09 
Meeting ID: 491 248 585 
Password: 403767 
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) 

Also, Empower Students will have Sunday School at 9:45 am in Room A-201B. There will also be Game Night at the Willems’ Home at 8 pm.


4. This Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at 11:25 pm, our CrossPoint Community Service will start and Pastor Raymond Lee will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!

Text: Psalm 91
Title: How to Overcome Your Fears
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/

5. Each Wednesday, such as this week (Jan. 17) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. The link is found below in the section on prayer.

Administration / Events

1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for COCM (in England), for James Liang (at UConn), or Vivian Mah who is serving the English Ministry of COCM.

2. Save the Date of Jan. 28! We will be having a CPC Soup and Bread Luncheon. You can sign up for with something to bring via the following link: Soup and Bread Luncheon 2024 

3. Next Sunday, Jan. 21, CPC is responsible for providing 3 to 4 individuals to help serve and prepare lunch (distributing take out and soup). If you’re interested in helping, please talk with Deacon John.

4. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. We’ll work at ending our service on time so that you can get lunch!

5. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).

For Prayer:

1. From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.

https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)

2. We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/

In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL