Sermon Passage: Matt. 13:53-58

Celebration Preparation–Passage To Ponder:  “ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Cor. 15:10 NIV84). ” 

Celebration Invitation–Scripture Reading: (Adapted from: Pss. 139:1, 13–14; 19:1–2; 8:3–4; Mt. 6:26, 10:29–31; Ps 18:49  NIV84; Mt. 10:31 ISV)

O LORD, You have searched me and You know me.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

[Indeed] The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

[But] when I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?

[Behold] the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? … Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. … So stop being afraid; you are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.

Therefore I will praise You among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to Your name.