Greetings to all readers!
Welcome to THE NATHAN REPORT!
First of all, accept my apology for delay in this week's report. I had been tied up with my office work lately, and was unable to get time to edit the final writing. Well, its better to be late than never. :)
As usual, we started off the service with powerful praise and worship. I have been missing the fiddler lately. Here is the list of this week's songs:
1) Happy Song - Delirious
2) God is Good - Don Moen
3) Holy Holy Holy - Scholtes Peter R.
4) Spirit Touch Your Church - Kim Bollinger
Powerful praise and worship and we move to the announcements and offerings. We have following announcements:- VBS for Teens from 2nd - 6th June 2014.
- Men's Fellowship 19th June 2014 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
- Next Sunday will be the feast of Pentecost.
As you all are aware, we always have a theme of the month. This month's theme is "What is the important needs of Church"? If we question within ourselves or friends, we generally get many responses. To name few:
- Better outreach.
- Sermon.
- Trained leaders.
- More people involved.
- Loyalty.
- Decent facilities.
- Better music instruments.
- Trained worship team.
There are many other responses, these are just few to name and also these responses are fair enough and actually needful for the Church, but are these things really the most important things that a Church needs?
Well, what exactly a Church needs is, "People filled with Holy Spirit".
We have a reading from Acts 2:1-4, "1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."If we read the same passage carefully, we notice that when Holy Spirit came, (ref. v. 4) the passage uses the word "They", which suggests unity. There is indeed power in unity and is proven. There are several references of unity in the word of God, but if we notice, satan always tries to separate brothers with their brothers, husband with wives, parents with their children etc. The word of God in the book of Ephesians 4:1-3 says, "1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we can remain united together in Lord and much powerful to face troubles and tests together.Gospel of John in 17:21 say, "That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Our Lord especially prayed, that all believers might be as one body under one head, animated by one soul, by their union with Christ and the Father in him, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. The more they dispute about lesser things, the more they throw doubts upon Christianity. Let us endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, praying that all believers may be more and more united in one mind and one judgment. Thus shall we convince the world of the truth and excellence of our religion, and find more sweet communion with God and his saints.If we notice, in our tongue, we have power of life and death. Here are few references:
James 3:6-10, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."Proverbs 21:23, "Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble."Matthew 12:36-37, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”1 Peter 3:10, For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit."James 3:1-18, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!"Proverbs 29:20, "Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him."Proverbs 15:4, "A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit."James 3:8, "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
Proverbs 12:18, "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."These are few of many available references from the word of God. Who ever can control his tongue, can control his entire body. Pray and seek your lives filled with with Holy Spirit. Imagine, if Holy Spirit controls your tongue? There are so many languages globally, but God grants one universal language, the language of the Holy Spirit. God wants unity among His children, as we are united by the Spirit of God and His blood. If we notice in early churches, when there are records of evidences of people filled with Holy Spirit, they were speaking in tongues. One of the reference is Acts 2:4, as we read above, also 1 Corinthians 14.At times we are scared to talk about Jesus with our friends or colleagues etc. We encourage you to pray and ask Lord to fill us all with His Spirit. When we are filled, Lord will be in control of all our actions are Guided. We are to focus on Jesus. When we put Him in His place, our lives will begin to shape up. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us. But into ALL TRUTH.As we move forward, we have holy communion. Worship team lead the session with a beautiful song.
Let It Rain - Bishop Paul S. Morton
Today's reading was taken from the book of Acts 2. Here is the complete reading:
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus,[d] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[e] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Footnotes:
Acts 2:3 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested
Acts 2:15 That is, 9 a.m.
Acts 2:18 Greek bondservants; twice in this verse
Acts 2:23 Greek this one
Acts 2:43 Or fear
As we move to the closing, we had a powerful prayer session followed by meet and greet. We encourage all you to pray and seek Holy Spirit, the Guide, to take care of our actions and control our bodies. In Jesus' name, we ask. Amen!
On a closing note, I would like to share this beautiful photoverse:
We hope you enjoyed today's service. How was yours, please mention below in the comments section. God Bless!
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