Welcome:

We're glad you've joined us for ToGather for May 24, 2020! (What is ToGather?) Below, you will find a guide for home worship with Scriptures, songs, a Communion reflection, and an encouraging video message from Phil Ware giving us principles and strategies for keeping our sinful nature nailed to the cross. We are blessed to have Robert and Jan lead us in part of our time ToGather. They are a couple who are church leaders in Thailand and who work sharing Christ with university students and ethnic refugees from neighboring countries. Robert will lead our Communion Reflection, and Jan will give our closing blessing.

May God bless you, those you love, and those you want to reach with the grace of Jesus!

The ToGather.church Team

Beginning with Praise:

We open our time of worship today with Paul's proclamation of salvation. We encourage you to read it out loud and claim this powerful declaration of faith as your own:

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" — and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NLT).

Through "Here's My Heart, Lord," her song of worship and surrender, Lauren Daigle helps us move closer to Jesus in response to the grace we have received:

Can I Keep My Sinful Flesh in the Past, Nailed to the Cross:

To prepare us for Phil's message today, let's sing a combination of two folk hymns in the song, "Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy":

Phil shares an in-depth message based on today's Verse of the Day. He builds on last week's message from 2 Corinthians 5:17 that, if we are in Christ, each one of us is a new creation. This week, he focuses on how we can keep our sinful nature in the past, crucified with Jesus, and move forward as God's new creation.

Those of us who have followed Jesus for any significant length of time know that keeping our sinful flesh in check is a challenge. Phil shares two foundation principles on which we can build our future and three spiritual strategies to keep our sinful natures nailed to the cross (cf. Colossians 2:13-15).

Have your Bible open to Galatians 5:24 as we begin:

Serving Out of Thanksgiving and Appreciation:

To prepare for our time of remembering the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, let's sing with the Zoe Group as they help us cry out to God for deliverance in the song, "Deep Calls to Deep":

Let's live for Jesus out of our appreciation for the new life he has given us through grace!
As we share Communion today, we join in the Lord's Supper with brothers and sisters from all over the world. Robert leads us in a time of reflection, as we share in the Supper. Afterward, he will challenge us with an appeal to live for Jesus, not because we must earn God's favor and love, but out of our thanks and deep appreciation for his gift of grace:

Final Song and Blessing:

Our final song focuses on living in that appreciation that Robert encouraged us to embrace as we sing with Maranatha Music the song, "Trading My Sorrow":

Jan closes us with a blessing that reminds us of the mystery of our faith, given to us through Jesus, who went to the cross to share grace with all the world:

Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:

Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory. Amen.
(1 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

God bless you and empower you to serve with joy and appreciation for all the Lord Jesus has done to give us life!