The first weekday worship service at EBCC Delhi, Dwarka, was organized on May 22, 2019 (Wednesday) at 7:30 PM. Secretary, Ministerial Committee, hailed it as ‘an idea whose time has come’ because it had been over five years in the making – in deliberations and in prayers. The service has been started to extend opportunity especially to the faithful – members of the Church or otherwise – whose working hours do not suit regular worship services held on Sundays. Weekday worship services are proposed to be organized on every last Wednesday of a month and it remains a hope to see that in the near future, these services are held once every week and even twice every week!
At the night’s service, offertory prayer was pronounced by Upa Tuanmuanthang and Pastor Gen Samte from The Journey Church (TJC, in short) performed a solo of ‘Pakpalh zu bang’. Pastor Thuamminlian read out Ephesians 6:18 and led the congregation in mass prayer. Upa Ngulminthang, after reading from Hebrews 10:25, closed the service with a benediction.
Pastor Biakson’s sermon
“Only one thing is needful” says The Lord. In Luke 10:38-42, it is seen that Martha was busy doing chores when Jesus came by their house. Martha was a hard-working woman, trying to see to it that Jesus had a comfortable stay, which is a good thing and far from sin per se. What followed all the work done good, however, did not please The Lord, because Martha started to complain: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.” Martha regrettably complained that Jesus did not even seem to care that Mary was not helpful in the house, to which Jesus answered: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” While work is important, worship has to remain a believer’s priority. Jesus was pleased with Mary, for he knew that Mary had a choice and she chose to make ‘that good part’ her priority – sitting at the feet of Jesus and worshipping The Lord! What is more, Mary was seen to fall at the feet of Jesus seeking comfort when his brother Lazarus’ body lay cold in the tomb, and days later anointed the feet of Jesus with a pound of very costly spikenard oil.
There is lesson to be learned from Mary’s life. A Christian’s priority is to worship The Lord with an intention that is acceptable by The Lord and in a manner that is pleasing to The Lord [Romans 12:1-2]. Like Mary, one needs to first fall at the feet of Jesus and then get going where Christ leads us. Young and old alike, people today tend to skip ‘that good part’ and set about living lives each day, which by and by lead to wasted lives swarming with depression, discontent, urge to hurt self and others, and other disastrous consequences of our own making.
“The greatest tragedy in the world today is wasted human lives” ~ Anon.
Martha was working hard and doing everything right until she came to realise that work is not the priority that she should be giving but the worship of The Lord. How fortunate was Mary to realise the same sooner than Martha ever did, for she could welcome and worship Jesus and find favour with The Lord at their very own house! Let us also set our priorities straight and get back at the feet of Christ because that is where everything must begin, and because The Lord says that that is the only thing needful.
