Sunday Worship Service| 9 February 2025| 3:00 PM
Worship leader read out John 14:15 and led the congregation in an uplifting praise and worship session. The offering to the Almighty was dedicated by Upa Songzalian.
Pastor Suankhanhau made several important announcements viz, appointment of Baby Lamngaihching as a new member of the executive committee of BDC; weekday worship service on Wednesday at 3 PM specially planned for those who could not attend the Sunday service due to their job demand and seminar on Discipling and Mentoring on 22 February with Rev. Kamzamang as Resource Person. The seminar is open for anyone interested, however all the departments including cell convenors/co-convenors were urged to make it a priority to attend.
In a call to prayer, Pastor read out Lamentations 3:40 briefly reminding the congregation to examine their ways so that sin does not stand in the way of God hearing their prayers before proceeding to lead the mass prayer.
The theme for the sermon was ‘Walking in Love’ based on Revelations 2:1-7. Pastor called upon the congregation to introspect whether they live their life in the love of God. Reading out Romans 13:8, he explained that the only debt Christians should have is to love one another. The one who loves another has fulfilled the law. God demands love from believers. If our prayers have not been answered or our heart’s desire remains unfulfilled, it may be that we have not loved God as we should. On what God values most- love for Him or love for fellow human beings, Jesus made it clear in Matthews 22:37-39 and Mark 12:30-31 that the first and greatest commandment is to love the LORD followed by loving one another.
The Church in Ephesus is commendable for their deeds, hard work, perseverance, intolerance for wicked people, testing of those who claim to be apostles, enduring hardships in the name of God and not growing weary, however they had forsaken their first love and God holds it against them. He warned them that if they don’t repent, he will remove their lamp stand from its place. Drawing a lesson, Pastor urged the congregation to compare their present life to the time when they first received Christ. Is their joy and passion still there? Do they still have the desire to do everything for the glory of God or are their good deeds just a show for others or performed in a routine manner? Does Jesus occupy a prominent place in their life or is their zeal for Christ gradually disappearing? What are the sins that prevented them from being filled with the Holy Spirit? Emphasizing that good deeds should be the outpouring of love for Jesus and not a compulsion, he urged the congregation to do everything out of love with thanksgiving and praise. Pastor also stressed the need for restoration of the condition of our hearts when we first received Christ and invited everyone to find out why and where they have fallen and turn to Him urgently - praying, studying the scriptures, feeding on his words and feeding others. Lastly, Pastor made an altar call for those who wanted to renew their love for God and prayed for them.
Welcoming of visitors/first timers to the church followed. The last hymn was then sung and the service concluded with a word of prayer by Upa Zabiak.
