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(01/03/21) Jeremiah Cua
Press on Toward the Goal, Do Not Look Back

Hymn: Hymnary 267 I Press On

Scriptures: Philippians 3:13-14; Matthew 15:14-30; Luke 9:23-26

Outline:

I. The era of thanksgiving – count the Lord’s blessing

1. The two past thanksgiving meeting (11/27, 12/25) – Is your testimony about pressing toward the goal?
2. Lord Jesus’ goal (Hebrews 12:2b)
– Count your blessings, name them one by one
– Lord Jesus is our goal
3. Apostle Paul’s testimony – Press toward the mark (Philippians 3:13, 14 original)
– The Lord is our goal; He is in the finish line – God’s glory, waiting for us to receive the prize he prepares for us.
– Paul left us an example

II. Be faithful to the goal that the risen Lord has given everyone

1. The Lord’s individual entrustment (Matthew 25:14-18)
i. The Lord entrusts each according to his own ability – 5 talents, 2 talents, and 1 talent
ii. The entrusted silver – from dead to resurrection, the ascended Lord gives his resurrected life to his servants
iii. 5 talents, 2 talents, or 1 talent, is distributed according to the capacity of each life.
2. Prepare to settle the account when the Lord returns (Matthew 25:19-30) Take up the cross and follow the Lord (Luke 9:23-26)
i. A good servant takes up his cross and follows the Lord, he will receive new life (which is the additional talents), and present it to the Master (See Matthew 16:24)
ii. The wicked and lazy servant, he dug a hole and buried the talent. 1 talent is equivalent to 23 years of wage. To bury means refusing the work of the cross. The servant retuned the original talent to the Master.
– The Lord rebuked the servant being wicked and lazy. He was thrown out of the Heavenly Kingdom (the Millennial Kingdome) into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:28-30)

III. Conclusion
All signs are telling us the Lord is returning soon to settle the accounts with us. Let us take up our own cross and run toward Christ. Prepare ourselves to settle the account with the Lord and receive His reward. This will bring comfort and satisfaction to the heart of our Lord.

Speaker: Jeremiah Cua; Interpreter: Caleb Kwok

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. We will resume our regular schedule at 9:15AM next Sunday.
2. For information to access coming Sunday’s Breaking of Bread, please email William at williego@pacbell.net
3. Cash report for December is available for viewing here
4. There are several ways to watch the HOC Sunday Sermon. Here are two methods.
5. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our church has not been able to have Breaking of Bread Meeting for a long time. But we want to follow the Lord’s command. According to the Holy Bible (Acts 2:46), saints can break bread at home if there are more than two people in a household. When conducting the Breaking of Bread, please use unleavened bread (like Matzo) and grape wine to remember the Lord. For regional home meetings, each home meeting may conduct its Break of Bread together online. Each family or individual within a regional home meeting will prepare its own bread and cup to remember the Lord. If brothers and sisters need any assistance relating to the online Breaking of Bread, like how to host or participate in an online meeting, or how to prepare unleavened bread and grape wine, or needing Hymnaries, please contact Bro. Hsiang Fong Pei and Brother Chester Liu from the Caring Group, or Brother Philip Liu (廖敬華) or Brother Philip Liu (劉尚榮), and Sister Kate Chiang from the Meeting Group, or Brother William Go, Brother Caleb Kwok and Sister Jean Ho from the English Group. If conditions permit in the future, we can have a church-wide online Breaking of Bread.
6. We have resumed our Chinese School. The enrollment is currently open. If you would like to register your children or if you would like to serve in the Chinese School, please contact Sister Ruth Lau at 626.572.5456.
7. Our weekly prayer meeting is on Tuesdays from 8:00 to 9:15 PM. We are using Webex to host the combined session of the meeting. Please download the Webex app and use it to attend the meeting. Meeting number: 627 564 274 Password: 4000. We are using Zoom for the English group session, and the login information is: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbvUyT054M Meeting ID: 414 276 8059 Passcode: 135790
8. Checkout our worship YouTube channel for our latest music productions.
9. Please check out the two new webpages on the Chinese site featuring hymns and the sharing of our brothers and sisters.
10. If brothers and sisters would like to make offerings, you can send your checks to: Home of Christians, L.A., PO Box 507, Monterey Park, CA 91754. Our accounting department will handle the offering every Sunday from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM.

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