LCC Online Service - 10 January 2021
Welcome
Please click below for the video welcome message.
Good Morning Everyone and a warm welcome to our LCC online church service.
Let us pray and commit this service to our Lord Jesus Christ and the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit.
Today I want to share a sobering parable about the 10 virgins who are a picture of the church when Christ returns. The oil in their lamps represents the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to watch for the coming of Christ and to be expectant of his return. Are we prepared? Have we got the oil of the Holy Spirit in His fullness?
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom (this is Jesus). 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”Matthew 25:1-13
Notice that in Matthew 25: 5 all fell asleep and in verse 6 & 7 when the cry rang out all woke up. The Unwise discovered that the did not have enough oil. They were not prepared and did not go in with the Bridegroom. Jesus’s final words to the people who were listening was to watch.
Mark 13:32 Jesus is speaking,
32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Jesus tells us to be on guard be alert and He says to everyone to Watch. He said watch three times – repeated words in scripture, means that we ought to take special note. I encourage you to read these scriptures in context to get a full understanding.
In Matthew 16 2-3
2 Jesus said, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend the world isn’t changing. In 2020 we have seen unprecedented change. Let us be aware of the times we are living in and be ready for Jesus when He comes for the Body of Christ, the Church.
Communion:
We are now going to take communion together. This reminds us of Christ’s finished work at the cross. As Christians we look back to what Christ has already done and forward to what he is going to do.
Luke 22:17-20
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Take the bread
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Take the wine.
Some Specific Prayer requests
During your prayer times please pray for Daniella, for the Lords comfort and protection after the loss of her husband. For the days ahead for wisdom, strength, as she wraps up Sidney’s affairs with family and business associates.
Pray for the Church families who are fighting this virus and that they will have a speedy recovery. That this pandemic will be abated across the world in Jesus name.
(See further below for the complete list of prayer points)
———
Now you can enter into praise and worship and then onto todays sermon.
God’s richest blessings and protection be on you all.
Praise and Worship
Please select “play” on the image below and join with us in worshiping our Lord and Saviour.
Song List:
- Give Me Faith - Elevation Worship (printable lyric sheet )
- I Surrender - Hillsong (printable lyric sheet )
- All to Jesus I Surrender - Vineyards (printable lyric sheet )
sermon
Sermon - Dave Keating - End Times - Part 2 - Issues to be Addressed by Church (Body of Christ)
Scripture: Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23-24; Acts 2:17-19; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 60:1,2; John 14:12; Matthew 16:18; Psalm 139:14; Joshua 3:3-10.
Please select Play below (depending on your bandwidth it could take a few seconds to buffer and play):
If you have issues playing the sermon, you can download the audio version directly from OneDrive here:
Sermon Download
Prayer
1 My heart is steadfast, O God!
I will sing and make melody with all my being!
2 Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer me!7 God has promised in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.- Psalm 108
Give thanks to the Lord.
Praise God for the provision of the rains.
Thank the Lord for the approval of Chad’s work permit.
Pray for Chad, Callie and family as they wrap up their time of rest with family. Pray for the quick sale of their house. Pray for all the relocation logistics.
Pray for Paul, Nicky and Jude Cummings as this is their last Sunday in Zambia, before they move to Australia. The Cummings have been a blessing as family members of LCC, since the early beginnings of the Church. We desire to send them off to Australia with the full love and support of LCC and our Lord & Saviour. If you have prayers and blessings to share with them, please share these directly with them via WhatsApp or phone call (their contact info can be received from any of the elders, if needed).
Continue praying for Daniella has she continues to mourn the loss of her husband, Sydney. Pray for God’s mighty work in the processing of all the legal ramifications and for our community to support her in this time.
Pray for those in our Church family who have tested positive to COVID, for a quick and full recovery.
Pray for financial provision and wisdom for LCC.
Pray for continued perseverance and wisdom for the government in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pray for the prison ministry work and for God’s presence to be experienced by staff and inmates.
Pray for the work in Chipata
Pray for wisdom and guidance for the Elders, especially during this recent increase in COVID cases.
Pray for opportunities to proclaim the Gospel fearlessly.
Please share your praises and prayer needs with any of the Elders via WhatsApp or email the church email or via the Prayer Form so that we can all continue being in prayer for one another.
Giving
Tithing and giving can be done through online transfer facilities (wire, mobile, & bank). We currently do not offer direct debit or credit card donations, but some have found TransferWise to be a helpful platform for transferring money locally or internationally (minimal transaction fees).
If you are unable to use contactless methods, you can still drop-off your offering at the church office during regular working hours. You can confirm any details with the church administrator by calling, texting, or WhatsApp: +260966800100
The church bank account details are below if you would like to use online transfer facilities:
Account name: Lusaka Community Church
$ acc #: 8700220232300
K acc #: 0150420232300
Bank: Standardchartered
Branch: Manda Hill
Branch code: 03000
Swift code: SCBLZMLX
Address: Roma Park, 609 Zambezi Drive, Lusaka, 10101
Benediction
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
Amen.
- Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)