Pastor G. Khankham welcomed the congregation who joined the service through YouTube and Zoom links.
- Pastor read aloud Romans 14: 7-8. Then led the service into a word of prayer.
- Thereafter, Elder T. Goukhangin dedicated the offerings to the Lord.
- Pastoral prayer for the month of February was conducted by Pastor Lamkhanthang.
- Child Dedication: Baby Lunthianmuang Phaipi D/o Pa P. Chinliankhup and Nu Chinglamvung
- Sermon: “Drawing near to God is the change of heart through repentance of sin”
Pastor based his sermon on Jacob 4:8 and Isaiah 1:1-20.
Jacob 4: 8 – We can’t physically be near to God. The only way we can know for sure is when we are one with God in our thoughts and our hearts, so we should ask ourselves whether our thoughts and our hearts are in sync with His. God called “David as the man after His own heart”- God and David did not necessarily need the physical bond. (I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22)
Isaiah 1-20 – We are called to draw closer to God through repentance of sin and change of heart. The Israelites were very dear to God. He called them his first born as He had reared and brought them up as His own and yet they rebelled and committed adultery against the Lord. He compared the Israelites to the oxen and donkeys who unlike the Israelites knew their master. Likewise, we as children of God are expected to turn and draw close to Him by syncing our thoughts and hearts with His through repentance of our sins.
We may see ourselves as blameless and right and liberal like the Israelites but that is not how the Lord sees us. In order to draw closer to Him, we need to see ourselves as how God sees us (sinners). The Israelites faced the consequences of their own sins because they never saw themselves as sinners. One need to reflect on what effect it would have on our relationship with God. Will my actions bring me closer or will it drift me away from God?
God turned away from the Israelites because of their sin. It was the sin that separated us (Israelites) from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). So in order to draw closer to God, we need to do the following – wash and make ourselves clean, to stop doing wrong and evil, to learn to do what is right and seek justice, to defend the oppressed, to take up the cause of the fatherless and to plead the case of the widow.
When we turn to people for help, we receive their help once or maybe twice but with God it is not just once or twice but never ending. Even King David was forgiven the moment he confessed his sins and repented for it. In the same way if we as believers confess our sins and repent for them, He is ever willing to forgive and purify us (I John 1:9). The Pastor invited everyone (believers and non-believers) in the name of Christ to accept and taste the goodness of the Lord just like the Psalmist did (Psalms 34:8).
Those who do not want to see the goodness of God, rebel and resist the ways of the Lord will be devoured by the sword. They will never see the goodness of God for He will not hesitate to destroy their very existence from this world. The Lord just wants our heart (Proverbs 23:26). He wants us to know our sins and repent for them and have a change in heart so that we may be draw close to Him. Therefore let us all repent and turn to Him and submit completely that is have a change of heart because we are just mere human beings who have no control over our own lives.
- The Worship Service ended with prayer and benediction by Elder T. Thangkhosiam
