St. Paul's Presbyterian Church

Please Stand for the Word of God

Facing the people, the leader greets them in the Lord's name. The Greeting should be explicitly Christian, declaring that the Lord is present and empowers our worship.

Welcome & Scripture Reading

“Good morning, beloved family in Christ. As we gather in this sacred space, we come not as strangers, but as children of the same God—welcomed, loved, and called to worship. May this time together renew our spirits and draw us closer to the heart of God.”

📖 Scripture Reading – Psalm 100:4 “4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (NIV)

Opening Prayer

“Gracious and loving God, We come before You with hearts full of gratitude. Thank You for the breath in our lungs, the joy of community, and the gift of this new day. As we enter Your courts, may our praise rise like incense, May our thanksgiving echo through this sanctuary, And may Your presence fill every corner of our hearts. We dedicate this service to You—our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

Chorus Father I place into Your hands

Chorus From The Rising Of The Sun

Chorus Whoso Offereth Praise

Exhortation

 Dear friends, the scriptures urge us to acknowledge our wickedness before almighty God our heavenly Father and to confess our many sins to Him, that they may be forgiven through His infinite goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ our

Lord. We should always humbly admit our sins before God, but especially when we meet together to give thanks for the great benefits we have received from Him, to praise and worship Him, to hear His holy word and to ask

what is necessary for our bodies and souls. Therefore let us come before the throne of our gracious God and say together :

General Confession said together.  

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from Your ways like lost sheep, we have left undone what we ought to

have done, and we have done what we ought not to have done. We have followed our own ways and our own desires and we have neglected and broken Your holy laws. Have mercy on us Lord.

Restore those who repent and confess their sins according to Your promises declare in Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant, merciful Father, for His sake, that hereafter we may live a righteous and obedient life,  to the glory of Your Holy Name. Amen. 

Assurance of forgiveness said by the minister standing.

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, does not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live.  He has given authority and commandment to His ministers to declare to His people that

He pardons and forgives the sins of all who truly repent and believe His holy gospel.  Therefore, let us ask Him to grant us true repentance and His Holy Spirit, that we may please Him now, and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy so that

at the last we may come to His eternal joy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, In earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our

trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever.  Amen. 

Elizabeth Vera

will now read the Old Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.

She begins with “Hear the Word of God as it is written in

Psalm Psalm 37:1-17

First Reading Habakkuk 1:1-11

She ends with “This is the word of God”.

Congregation: “Thanks be to God”

Evelyn Rose

will now read the New Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.

She begins with “Hear the Word of God as it is written in

Second Reading 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Gospel Luke 17:5-10

She ends with “This is the word of God”.

Congregation: “Thanks be to God”.

Hymn Abide With Me Hymn

Sermon

Prayer Gracious God, As we open our hearts to Your Word, stir within us a desire to do our best for the Lord. Let Your truth remind us that we are called to love, to lift up the weary, and to stand with the broken. Prepare us now to receive Your message, so we may leave here not only inspired, but ready to serve with humility and care. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

Sermon 6 GIFTS FROM THE ASCENDED LORD

(Scripture Portion:  Ephesians 4:4–16 “4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” )

In Ephesians 4: 4-6, emphasis is given to those great fundamental facts of the Christian faith which are at once its unifying features.   In verses 7 – 16, the apostle writes of the diversity of gifts which characterise those who are members of Christ’s Body, the Church.   This is an intriguing theme, and we need also to refer to three other New Testament passages which deal with the subject of spiritual gifts  - 

look up Romans 12:3–8 “3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” ; 

We find the same teaching in 1 Corinthians 2: 4-11 (indeed, chapters 12, 13 and 14);  and 1 Peter 4: 10-11.   But we will confine our sermon to the teaching embodied in Ephesians 4: 4-16, and notice the following:-

1. The GIVER of the Gifts.

This is brought out in verses 7, 8 and 11, where we are told that Christ Himself  gives spiritual gifts to the members of His Church;  but especially notice verse 8, which is a quotation from Psalm 68:18 “18 When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.” .   The Lord Jesus went down into death, was raised and then ascended to Heaven.   When He ascended, having conquered sin, death and Hell, He “led captives in his train” – (these were the Old Testament saints who up until the Ascension dwelt in Paradise), and then He received gifts from the Father in order that He might bestow these gifts upon the Church.   But who does He give these gifts to?

2. The RECIPIENTS of the Gifts.

Are spiritual gifts only for a few members of the Body, the Church?  -  look at verse 7, and underline the words, “to each one of us”.   That refers to every true believer.   Every Christian, without exception, has received some gift from the risen and exalted Lord – see Romans 12:4 “4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,” , where we are told that we all have some “function”;  also 1 Corinthians 12:4–5 “4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” and 1 Peter 4:10 “10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” .   It is wrong for any Christian to say, “There’s nothing I can do”, or, “My days of service are over now!”  But note this wonderful fact:  to every Christian has been given grace as Christ apportioned it (verse 7).   You see, the nature of the gift determines the measure of grace that is supplied in order that we may exercise the gift.   Grace is given to the preacher to preach, to the pray-er to pray, to the teacher to teach, to the helper to help (1 Corinthians 12: 28), and so on!  But do all have the same gifts?

3. The DIVERSITY of the Gifts

Look at verse 11.   Here Paul mentions five special gifts which the Lord has given to His Church, (or, five kinds of men to whom are given these special gifts):-

(1) Apostles:}  These were given for the purpose of laying the foundations of

(2) Prophets:}   the Church, as Ephesians 2: 20 tells us.

(3) Evangelists:  An evangelist’s ministry is especially directed towards the unconverted  -  look up 2 Timothy 4: 5.

(4) Pastors:  The word means “shepherds” – compare John 21: 15-17 and Acts 20:28.  This is a caring ministry for the sheep in Christ’s fold.

(5) Teachers:  The work of the teacher is to instruct the Church in the things of God, to give milk to the babes (1 Peter 2: 2), and meat to those who are more mature (Hebrews 5: 14) in order that there may be growth and stability.

In 1 Corinthians 12: 8-11, and also in verses 14-25, we read of other gifts besides those mentioned above.   Perhaps yours is mentioned there?  Study this whole portion carefully, and then notice the little word "help" in 1 Corinthians 12: 28.   Each gift is important and necessary.  What is your gift?  But what are the gifts for?

4. The PURPOSE of the Gifts.

In verses 12 and 14, we are told of a three-fold purpose that the Lord has in giving these gifts to His Church.

(1) To Prepare us for Service.  This is what verse 12 tells us.   The meaning is this:  The Lord has given evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc…”  to prepare God’s people for works of service.”   The evangelists, pastors and teachers are not to do all the ministry, but their chief task is that of getting the saints to function actively as members of the Body.

(2) To Help us to Grow.  Verse 12 goes on to say, “so that the body of Christ may be built up”   God does not want us to remain as babies spiritually (1 Corinthians 3: 1-3), but He wants us to grow up (2 Peter 3: 18);  therefore, He has given gifts to the Church, in order that the members may grow – look at verse 15!

(3) To Protect us from Harm.   The Enemy is always ready to deceive even the “elect” (Matthew 24: 24), and in order that we may be protected against his “false prophets” (Mark 13: 22), and their “destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1), the Lord has placed teachers in the Church so that we may be instructed in the truth and know how to detect the Devil’s deadly counterfeits and lies!

The ultimate purpose that the Lord has in giving gifts to His Church is indicated in verse 13 – which tells us also about:

5. The DURATION of the Gifts.

How long will the gifts be needed in the Church?   Only until – verse 13!   When we are with Christ, who is the Head of the Body, the Church, then He will be “all in all” (Ephesians 1: 23), and there will be no room for, or need of, gifts!  He will be ALL!

In Heaven, who knows what we will be required to do - but He will gift us accordingly

Notices Mr. John Oberholzer

Collection

Praise God from whom all blessing flow

Prayer

Hymn When we walk with the Lord

Benediction

Doxology - Now unto him.