Sunday Worship Service
25 March 2012
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
The piece of keyboard music chimed, “‘tis so sweet to trust in Jesus” as the disciples filled row after row of seats in the chapel. The prelude continuing with the solo for “I long to worship you”, the worshippers crowding even the balcony, there was a visible eagerness to partake of the day’s spiritual diet.
The pastor’s greeting just minutes before the scheduled time of 1100 hours sent the message that EBCC, Delhi has moved a step forward in punctuality. As the worship team assembled in the stage, he gave glory to God for having allowed the church to see the last Sunday of the month, for having fulfilled the church’s wish of being enlightened on marriage and parenting. Reading Psalms 15, he asked the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the disciples gathered in the chapel, out for work, the shut-ins and those who haven’t heard of the gospel and even the non-believers.
‘Ka phat zel ding’ I’ll keep praising, is a gospel hit all across the northeast India. The music, being an integral part of worship, set the tone for the first hymn and the lobby echoed with the song. Praise continued with an old time hit, “Suploh kei ning” I won’t be in want as long as I follow Jesus.
Ms Lydia from the worship team read a line from Psalms. Taking inspiration there from the team led the congregation to another hymn that expresses the art of experiencing the divine power in weakness and in poverty “Lungsung nuam leh kipahthu genni” The worship continued with mass prayer concluded by Ms Mankhodim another worship team member.
As the offering bowl was passed around the congregation was led to another hymn “Zesu neih hinna nuam” pronouncing the Christian’s departure from matters of the world. In dedication of the offering the pastor gave thanks to God for His endowments with singing ability and with paying capacity.
Introducing the visiting resource persons from Chiangmai, he gave a brief introduction of the pioneer in the Ministry who is presently teaching at Chiangmai Theological Seminary (CTS), at the same time helping at Asian Cross Cultural Training Institute in Singapore as 'Interim Dean' Details may be seen from the link http://ebccdelhi.org/activities/pastors-blog/216-about-rev-dr-gin-neithang.html.
The couple landed in Delhi on Thursday, the 22nd March, 2012 and attended various fellowships. On Saturday the 24th they graced the Young Couples Seminar as resource persons. After the ongoing service is over the couple would attend the other service of the Church in Central Delhi at 1400 hours. The last fellowship for Rev. Dr. and Mrs Ginneihthang would take place in Apostolic Methodist Church, Sector-IV, R.K. Puram the next day.
The missionary from Chiangmai delivered a message on the topic “Light of the World”. He informed the gathering about the miracle of his fitness in spite of one engagement after another all the way from Chiangmai, through Kolkatta to Delhi in a week’s time. A wrap up of the seminar the day before preceded his message for the day. That’s about the various phases of a married life right from marriage to having one child, till having the last child, marrying them off and waiting for the eventual death.
Based on the scripture of Matthew 5: 13-16 where Jesus uses the parable of salt, the speaker highlighted the concern for ‘safety’ of the family. He asked, ‘What is the purpose of family that is Christian?’ Mr. Thang said that being addicted to the concept of ‘mission’, he happened to utter the word in his first appearance at Asian Theological Seminary. He pointed out one of the striking word which says, “Long bawl in” -Build the Ark. Just the building of the ark, according to him, was not the entire description of God’s commission to Noah. There is an indispensable adjective attached to the ark- ‘safety’. Bitna Long or the ark of safety was what God wanted Noah to build (or in Paite, bawl). So the basic commissioning from God to Noah or allegorically for that matter, every Christian, is to ensure safety of the family. Sadly the socially oriented society like that of the Zomis or in particular the Paites prioritize the safety of the society.
As proof of the importance of family first and foremost, the missionary from the Far East cited tales of feedback from missions in Japan, whose primary target i.e. the youngsters, were unconvinced. Family, in Japanese society, is given so much predominance that the youngsters wouldn’t do anything to snap ties with it, which is why the entire missionary exercises came to a non starter.
Jesus wanted his disciples to be ‘salt of the earth’. It’s part of the discourse on salt and light. A salt had to dissolve for its salinity to spread to the entire food. In the same way a lantern had to use up fuel to shine forth. The metaphor is particularly significant as salt is said to sanitize the food beyond just adding flavor to it. Jesus wanted his immediate disciples to be like salt first and foremost which has underscored the importance of family for a Christian before anything else.
90 percent of us are unaware of the gift in us which is the proverbial ‘talent’ God wants us to multiply. Adjusting the saltiness in us in accordance with where we are located is the best way to spread our saltiness. But whatever location and circumstances one is exposed in, the precedence of family over everything remains unchanged. Of course this is not in overlooking the primacy of God and the spouse/wife. God doesn’t want us to leave family behind trying to correct social ills. The speaker conveyed the finding of a BBC survey. It has been found in the survey that kids in UK are found to be loneliest in the world. And the social ills in UK are high. One may gather wealth, one may like to enjoy luxurious lifestyle, but one can’t just ignore the primacy of kids in a family, that is Christian.
He drive home his point he finished off his message by showing a contrasting tale of two families of Max Jukes and Jonathan Edwards:
Jonathan and Sarah Edwards who placed priority on training their children, are found to have produced
1 U.S. Vice-President,
3 U.S. Senators,
3 governors,
3 mayors,
13 college presidents,
30 judges,
65 professors,
80 public office holders,
100 lawyers and
100 missionaries.
This same study found a family known as “Jukes” producing
7 murderers,
60 thieves,
50 women of debauchery,
130 other convicts.
310 paupers, who, combined spent 2,300 years in poorhouses, and
400 physically wrecked by indulgent living.
(sermon video- http://ebccdelhi.org/visual-media.html)
That was followed by a thanksgiving from Chairman EBCC Upa Damsawmthang.
The Pastor reminded the gathering about the upcoming Palm Sunday, the traditional fasting in prayer from 10 am onwards every first Sunday of the month, outing plan of the BCD (children wing) and the inter denominational fellowship at Methodist Church, Sector- IV, RK Puram. He also introduced newly married Mr and Mrs John Thomte and their father. Good wishes was also extended to some other guests including L.B. Sona and Kaizasong Guite before the congregation rose to the beat of the all time gospel favorite, “En veng Ka Tennang Gamnuam” – Looking forward to My Eternal Home. The song lifted the spirit of the disciples.
Upa Thiankhanmuan blessed the disciples with benediction. Thereafter the worship team reverted with an encore of “Enveng Ka Tennang Gamnuam” even as the resource persons, Pastor and the anointed ones did the customary shaking of hands individually of the congregation on their way to the tea stand.
@T. Lianpu (Worship Team)
