Grace Abounding

Sermon Title: Living in the Realm of Truth
Speaker: Jonathan Matías, Pastor
Text: Psalm 73
Series: The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet

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Sermon Title: Loving Father, Loving Children
Speaker: David Noble, Assistant Pastor of Community Groups, Grace Presbyterian Church of DC
Text: 1 John 2:28-3:4

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What should our goal be when interacting with another Christian who disagrees with us? Don’t just knock down their incorrect view; persuade them of the truth, of course! However, the art of disagreeing with another Christian charitably and persuasively, demonstrating their errors, and effectively showing them the truth, is little-practiced today. I cringe when reading theological Christian blogs, which are rife with unfair and uncharitable arguments, and where commenters do not seek to understand the other point of view, but just blast away.

And so I commend to you Tim Keller’s four articles on “Gospel Polemics” as perceptive guidelines for disagreeing with another Christian and winning them over to what is true. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and a founder of The Gospel Coalition gives seven rules for engaging in theological controversy..in a healthy way. These are helpful for seminarians, pastors, a church members to know how to engage in theological discussion with people you disagree with, so you can win them over to the truth.

Gospel Polemics: Part 1
Gospel Polemics: Part 2
Gospel Polemics: Part 3
Gospel Polemics: Part 4

HT: Thanks to Garrett Lee, my fellow pastor at Grace Church of Alexandria, for pointing these articles out to me.

The song “Thy Mercy My God” is a favorite hymn often sung at our local church in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s an old hymn by John Stocker (1776) put to new music by Sandra McCracken (2001). It’s the hymn of the month at Grace Church.

Why do we love this hymn? Because it preaches the gospel to us every time we sing it! The first verse revels with wonder at the transforming grace God has given believers. Verse 2 reminds us that our sin nature and willful sin disqualify us from knowing God and tasting real joy, but God has reversed our sinful condition out of his generous kindness. Verse 3 celebrates that God’s “mercy is more than a match for my heart which wonders to feel its own hardness depart,” a recognition that though we are great sinners, we have a Savior greater than our sin. The final verse thanks the Holy Spirit for applying the work of redemption in the believer’s life.

Get to know this hymn by downloading the sheet music here for free or by watching it worshipfully played on this YouTube video:

Thy Mercy My God
1. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

2. Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

3. Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found.

4. Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

©2001 Same Old Dress Music (ASCAP).

Previous songs of the month at Grace Church of Alexandria are listed here.

Sermon Title: Sin and the Child of God
Speaker: Ron Bean
Text: Psalm 51
Series: The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet

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Starting Sunday, January 29, 2012, an Adult Bible Class will be held on Sundays from 9:25 AM –10:10 AM at Grace Church of Alexandria, prior to the 10:30 AM worship service. This year’s theme is “Christian Beliefs: 20 Life Transforming Truths.” Yes, for you folks who are sleepy on Sundays at that time, coffee will be served.

The new Sunday schedule at Grace Church of Alexandria:

• 9:25 AM – Adult Bible Class (childcare isn’t provided at this time)
• 10:30 AM – Corporate Worship Service (childcare is provided)

Sermon Title: Taste and See the Goodness of God
Speaker: Chris Spillmann
Text: Psalm 34
Series: The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet

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Grace Church of Alexandria is hosting a seminar on Parenting With Faith and Wisdom on Saturday, February 4 from 9:30 am–3:30 pm, which you can register for here. The speaker is Rodney Pearce, father of four and Pastor of Families at Calvary Bible Church in York, PA. Everyone who attends Grace Church is welcome to come, and anyone from the community too. Please invite friends from the community to attend with you!

Parenting With Faith & Wisdom
When: February 4, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
(if you can’t make the whole seminar, sign up and note what part you can attend.)
Where: at Franconia Baptist Church, 5912 Franconia Road, Alexandria 22310
Who: For parents, aspiring parents, GraceKids workers, and anyone wanting to learn about helping children treasure God
Kids: Childcare provided by screened childcare workers
Book Table: GraceBooks will have a selection of parenting books and kids books available at the seminar by donation.
Free Gift! Every couple/individual will receive a free book from the GraceBooks Table
Lunch: Catered by Panera Bread (parents, please bring lunch for your child)
Cost: $9 per adult / $18 per couple

REGISTER HERE Please register by Sunday, January 29th.

Pastor Rodney Pearce and his family

 Topics for discussion include:

• The Source of Parenting Wisdom and the Goal of Parenting
• Getting to The Heart of Behavior
• Temperament and Development
• Salvation, Faith and Repentance, and Discipline
• Roles in Parenting
• A Smorgasbord for Further Reflection

Sermon Title: How to Pray the Psalms
Speaker: Jonathan Matias, Pastor
Text: Psalm 3
Series: The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet

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Winter Sermon Series
This winter our theme for Sunday sermons at Grace Church of Alexandria is The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet. Our pastors are preaching a series of expository sermons that focus on the psalms. Take a look at the invite poster below:

Series Goals
Here are several goals we have for this series of sermons–

• Familiarizing you with the book of Psalms so you can study it on your own;
• Show how many of the psalms point to the person and work of Christ;
• Equipping you to get the most out of from the different kinds of psalms (thanksgiving psalms, ascent psalms, imprecatory psalms, wisdom psalms, psalms of repentance);
• Help you incorporate the psalms into your prayer life so you pray the psalms;
• Guide you to encouragement and hope in God from the psalms.