- Already a Kingdom in which the King offers redemption through his death and resurrection; not yet a kingdom in which redemption is applied to all of creation.
- Already a Kingdom which one sees and enters through repentance and faith (John 3:3-5); not yet a kingdom which one sees with the physical eye.
- Already a spiritual kingdom in which the King rules over the hearts and lives of his subjects, not yet, a geo-political kingdom in which all the universe is in subjection to His righteous rule.
- Already a kingdom in which the subjects of the King are learning to love one another and live in unity; not yet a kingdom in which the subjects of the King perfectly love another and live in unity.
- Already a kingdom in which its subjects hold title to an eternal inheritance; not yet a kingdom in which the subjects are in full enjoyment of the inheritance.
- Already a kingdom in which its subjects are granted the New Heavens and Earth; not yet a kingdom in which they possess the New Heavens and Earth.
- Already a kingdom which is in conflict with the powers of darkness; not yet a kingdom which is fully triumphant over the powers of darkness.
- Already a kingdom in which the power of the King over death, disease, and the devil is evident; not yet a kingdom in which death, disease, and the devil are banished forever.
- Already a kingdom growing mysteriously and gradually (Matt 13); not yet a kingdom manifested in power and glory.
The following is excerpted from our time of Scripture reading at tonight’s worship service of Grace Church:
The Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, urges us to “devote [ourselves] to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim. 4:13, ESV).
At Grace Church, we don’t include the reading of Scripture in the order of service just to fill some time and space in our worship.
We don’t include it for the purpose of giving you a cute little anecdote, or something interesting to think about.
We include it so that it may overwhelm and transform your life.
We believe that the Word has infinite power and purpose when it goes forth.
It has power to save and to transform even the vilest sinner, the one that everyone else has given up on and forsaken. Read more »
Ancient fresco of the Lord's Table
At Grace Church of Philly, our desire is to be gospel- and Christ-centered in our gathered worship on Sundays. Our structure is intentionally framed within ancient practices of Christian worship down throughout the centuries.
Each week we strive to incorporate various elements into the following worship structure [1]:
Adoration > Confession > Assurance > Thanksgiving > Petition/Intercession > Instruction in the Word > Communion/Fellowship [2] > Charge and Blessing (Benediction) Read more »
Who Says That Jesus is Greater Than I Am? by Dr. John Davis
Mark 1:1 (ESV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
[Painting is "St. John the Baptist" by Valentin De Boulogne (1628-30)] Read more »
Getting to Know Jesus Better!
Introduction to the Series by Dr. John Davis
In the coming weeks at Grace Church of Philly, we will be looking at the gospel of Mark so that we may get to know Jesus better. Mark 1:1 tells us at the beginning that his letter is about – The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark wants to share with his readers the good news about Jesus Christ that they may get to know him better and in some way act upon that knowledge.
Mark gives no genealogical record as do Matthew and Luke, or like John who traces Jesus before creation with His Father, but the absence of a genealogy isn’t necessarily a hindrance to getting to know and trust someone.
I confess out the outset that I do not merely want you to know him better, but I pray and hope that you will follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
We will follow multiple paths through the Gospel of Mark in getting to know Jesus better. We will move from path to path as we travel through the Gospel. On one path, we will listen to what others say about Jesus and probe our own hearts to see if we agree or disagree and want to follow this Jesus. On another path, we will look at what happens when Jesus encounters specific people and ask ourselves if this is the Jesus we want to follow. Then on a third path, we will listen to what Jesus says on a number of topics and ask ourselves if we are willing to follow this Jesus and live by His teaching.
So here is how we will attempt to get to know him better:
What do others say about Him? Do we agree with what they say?
What happens when others encounter Him? Do we like what happens?
What does He say? Are we willing to follow His teaching?
The following is a short gospel message that was preached to the poor and homeless at a special worship outreach and feeding on April 16th:
This evening, I want to share a few words about a people who were severely afflicted and oppressed; and a few words about the God who heard their cry and delivered them out from under the hands of those who were causing their suffering.
Before the time of Moses, the ancient Egyptians enslaved the people of Israel and “made their lives bitter with hard service,” treating them “ruthlessly,” (Ex. 1:14) the leaders even going so far as ordering that all male Hebrew children be killed immediately after birth (Ex. 1:15-22). Read more »
Tags: gospel, grace of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, satan, sin
gospel, mercy ministries, preaching, salvation, sin | John Leone | 
April 17, 2010 8:18 pm | 
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As members of the Police Clergy in the 16th Police District of Philadelphia, Steve and John Davis and their wives participated in a prayer vigil with other clergy in the 16th and 19th Police Districts. The police clergy organize prayer vigils in city neighborhoods where a homicide has taken place. Earlier this year a pizza delivery man was murdered at 41st and Aspen Sts. in the 16th District and another homicide occurred at 57th and Filbert Sts. in the 19th District. Grace Church of Philly lies within the 16th Police District.
At prayer vigils, those attending walk through the immediate neighborhood and provide information packets which list government and private resources dealing with crime and violence. Also, prayer and counsel are offered to people along with gospel tracts and church information. A number of people were glad to engage in conversations about the gospel and to receive prayer for both the spiritual and temporal needs.
The Leadership Team of Grace Church of Philly meets monthly with the Police Clergy, the captains of 16th and 19th Police Districts, and the Community Policing Officers.
These meetings provide information on the needs of the districts and how clergy can work together to make a difference in the community. Grace Church of Philly hosted one of these meetings in March at the Grace Community Center on Lancaster Ave. and will host another one in November.
An essential ministry we have here at Grace Church in West Philly is ministering to those who struggle daily just to have a healthy meal. Rarely a day goes by at Grace Community Center without our meeting someone face to face who has a material need. Often our concern for those tangible needs opens the door for conversation about their need of the gospel.
We would like all who worship at GCP to participate in ministering to the poor by bringing with you each week some canned food or other non-perishable food items or items that assist with personal hygiene. We will have a basket available each week where we will collect these items and then make them available to those in need.
Thank you for hearing the cry of the poor.
Blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord,
The Leadership of GCP
Acts 4:32 (ESV) Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
[Above is a modified reproduction of Ferdinand Hodler's (1853-1918) "The Good Samaritan."]
The following is adapted from an upcoming presentation to Christian students on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania:
We live in a day of radical skepticism toward the Christian faith. People question biblical Christianity for numerous reasons and with numerous motives.
I do not intend here to exhaustively address all of the assorted reasons and motives as to why people, fairly or unfairly, reject Christianity.
My purpose is to attempt to lay out a possible remedy that should strip one particular group of skeptics of their rhetorical and emotional weaponry in their battle against the church.
You’ve probably heard it said by those who reject Christianity that their rejection is due to the presence of all the judgmental hypocrites in the institutional church who profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
By such skeptics it is claimed that of the many Christians who proclaim Jesus Christ, there appears to be very few whose lives appear to be genuinely impacted by Him.
And so it is that Christians are labeled as “hypocritical,” and “insensitive,” and “judgmental.”
It is not so much that many outsiders have rejected the gospel message as they have rejected the messengers, namely: us.
Researchers at the Barna Group recently concluded a multi-year study that asked outsiders to describe “present-day Christianity.”[1]
85% of outsiders described Christianity as “hypocritical – saying one thing, doing another.” Eighty-five percent!
87% of outsiders described Christianity as “judgmental.”
70% of outsiders described Christianity as “insensitive to others.”
72% described Christianity as “out of touch with reality.” Read more »
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