Grace Abounding

Sermon Title: Two Ways to Live
Speaker: Jonathan Matias, Pastor
Text: Psalm 1
Series: The Psalms: Where Truth and Beauty Meet

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Sermon Title: On Mission for Jesus
Guest Speaker: Stacy Potts, Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Church, Oceana, Virginia
Text: Colossians 4

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Spending time with your extended family for the holidays is often one of the most anticipated, and stressful, times of the year. In his recent article “Family Tensions and the Holidays,” Dr. Russell Moore wrote the following about holidays with family:

“We tend to idealize holidays, but human depravity doesn’t go into hibernation between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. One thing that will hit most Christians, sooner or later, are tensions within extended families at holiday time.”

Then, with a bit of humor and piercing wisdom from Scripture, he gives five values to pursue in your time with family over Thanksgiving and Christmas:

1. Peace.
2. Honor.
3. Humility.
4. Maturity.
5. Perspective.

I heartily recommend you read his full article here, entitled “Family Tensions and the Holidays.” It was a good reminder for me on how Christ would have me love my family members this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This past Sunday, November 6, 2011, marked the fourth anniversary of our church’s founding. In our four years, by God’s gracious hand, we’ve seen sinners converted, believers repentant over their sin, Christians taking the next step in maturity, and members serving and loving one another in amazing ways. And so we give thanks to our gracious God for establishing our church and gathering worshipers for his name here in Alexandria, Virginia.

Enjoy this visual history of Grace Church of Alexandria that was shown during the celebration service last Sunday. You can also read about our church’s story here.

The Story of Grace Church of Alexandria

I am feeling very foolish tonight. It has just dawned on me how utterly foolish is all my ungratefulness and complaining.

While reading John MacArthur’s book Slave, it was made clear to me from Scripture the depth of my helpless condition when the Lord found me. I was a slave to sin. I was his enemy by choice. My sin nature was leading me to eternal destruction. As Charles Wesley puts it in a hymn, I was “fast bound in sin and nature’s night.” And yet, Christ died in my place. There’s not a drop of wrath left for me (which I deserve). He rescued me from the dominion of darkness, and placed me in the kingdom of light. And the God of all grace adopted me and loves me as his own son! This means he is committed to my everlasting happiness and good.

Why, oh why do I complain when I was rescued from a dreadful condition and now own more spirituals blessings than I can count?! I don’t think I’ll be able to look at my situation the same any more. Though I once was a slave, I’m now a privileged son in God’s kingdom. What do I have to complain about?

Holy Father, I confess that I think I deserve far more than I really do. And I miss the fact that you are blessing me far more than I ever can understand. Thank you, Lord God, for your mercy to me. I have it so much better than I deserve.

Sermon Title: The Sovereignty of God in Evangelism
Guest Speaker: Will Arndt, Pastor of Community, Heritage Bible Church
Text: Acts 8

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This weekend marks the third visit made by leaders from our sending church to us as a church plant. For three days, Pastor of Community Will Arndt and Deacon William Jana are meeting with me and our elders and deacons for prayer, assessment, idea-sharing, and to serve as a sounding board. And on Sunday, I’m delighted that Will will be delivering the sermon on the Sunday that marks the fourth anniversary of Grace Church of Alexandria’s very first meeting.

I’m amazed how much Heritage Bible Church continually invests in us as a daughter church. You’d think after four years of faithfully getting behind our efforts of establishing a local church that Heritage would concentrate their work elsewhere. Yet this is the 3rd visit by their officers this year to shore up our leadership and help us wisely lead the church. Heritage has continually supported us with finances, by sending new team members to Alexandria every year since 2005, and by listening and advising all along the way.

Aspiring church planters, one the most important ingredients for a thriving church plant is a sending church that is thoroughly committed to preparing, equipping, and encouraging your church plant from start to finish. We have been blessed with the best sending church I can imagine. Paul’s expression of thanks in Philippians 1:3–5 is an appropriate expression of thanks from Grace Church to Heritage:

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Here’s my blog post about the 2nd visit from Heritage leaders to our church in June 2011.

This Sunday, November 6, stick around after the service for a free fellowship lunch!

In honor of Grace Church’s four year anniversary, the service will end a bit early so we can enjoy fellowship together over pizza, chips, and dessert. Lunch is free and is provided by our sponsoring church, Heritage Bible Church, in honor of Grace Church being planted four years ago this weekend. In addition, this coming Sunday Heritage’s Pastor of Community, Will Arndt, will be preaching to us from the Scriptures.

Sermon Title: Your God Reigns
Speaker: Jonathan Matias, Pastor
Text: Isaiah 52:7-10
Theme: Scenes From Church History

Reformation Day sermon. The story of the renewal in missions by Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf and the Moravian

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Sermon Title: Remember Those In Chains
Speaker: Jonathan Matias, Pastor
Text: Hebrews 13:1-3
Theme: International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

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