Sovereign Grace Music published a new Christmas project this year. We've already sung God Made Low. This Sunday we will learn "He Who Is Mighty".

VERSE 1 
Oh, the mercy our God has shown 
To those who sit in death’s shadow 
The sun on high pierced the night 
Born was the Cornerstone 

PRE-CHORUS 
Unto us a Son is given, unto us a Child is born 

CHORUS 
He Who is mighty has done a great thing 
Taken on flesh, conquered death’s sting 
Shattered the darkness and lifted our shame 
Holy is His name 

VERSE 2 
Oh, the freedom our Savior won 
The yoke of sin has been broken 
Once a slave, now by grace 
No more condemnation 

BRIDGE 
Now my soul magnifies the Lord 
I rejoice in the God Who saves 
I will trust His unfailing love 
I will sing His praises all my days 
 

How long have you been coming to Sovereign Grace? 

Paul: This is a hard question to answer. I originally came to Orange County to serve in an unrelated church plant. I love the everyone there; it was home for me and it’s where I met Andrea. 

However, over time we found ourselves afraid to speak freely about our lives and struggled painfully in silence. The church seemed to value the appearance of righteousness more than being honest, and when we needed grace the most, we were treated harshly.

We felt hurt and decided to find a new church.

Our first impression of you.

Andrea: I still remember our first few weeks. Strangers treated us like long-time friends and welcome us into their homes. It was so genuine. I remember sitting in a small group meeting where you were all sharing the ups and downs of your lives. Everyone was responding with grace and love. I decided I wanted to be part of this church. 

Our problems followed us.

Paul: Yet as time went on, the resentment and anger we felt against our previous church overwhelmed us and was impossible to ignore any longer. We began to fear the same thing would happen again and we left Sovereign Grace. I told myself that I would never go to church again.

Why we came back.

Paul: By God’s grace, I soon realized how much I needed to grow and my heart longed to enjoy fellowship again. You (Sovereign Grace) had left an unforgettable impression on us. It was here that we found people living out the gospel in community. You embrace one another not according to merit but genuine love. I couldn’t stay away.

Andrea: Six months ago we took what we learned from you and applied it to our broken relationships at that prior church. We asked for their forgiveness and sought reconciliation and gained our old friends back.

Thank you for loving us twice. 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV)

Each new member of our church is a reminder of the generosity of God. He has blessed us with friends and fellow churchmen. We say thank you.

Last Sunday, Pastor Eric preached from a text that challenges even the best theologians. How are we to understand the Apostle Paul's writings regarding head coverings?

"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven." (1 Corinthians 11:3-5 ESV)

Given our interest in the topic "Gender and Our Relationship with Others: Can you be anybody you want to be?", many interpretive insights into this passage were left on the cutting floor. A few things were very clear:

1. The passage is ultimately about authority, not head coverings.
2. Masculine authority is a reflection of both the Trinity and the created order.
3. Men need women as much as women need men. The genders are mutually interdependent.
4. A beautiful woman wears authority on her head (i.e. a covering) like a crown.

And the answer to the big question last Sunday "Can you be anybody you choose to be?" is no. God has already chosen your gender and your gender is part of your calling. You can't choose this part of you. God did and now (as he has made you) you are free to be you. So be a man. Be a woman. Be your gender and by being your gender tell the truth about the Son of God.

Should women wear head coverings in church?

"Should, could, and must" are three different questions and Pastor Eric answered only one of them. The "must" question. "Married women are not commanded to wear a head covering during public worship."

The question of head coverings is an issue of application. How does the universal principle of masculine authority works itself out in the church? Then and now? Our top recommendation for further studies on this issue is an article by Tom Schreiner.

Head Coverings, Prophecies, and The Trinity

Gender And Our Relationship With Others: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

The third in a series of 3 sermons on the theology of our sexuality. Here are a few quotes to help you reflect and grow. May God use our humanity to bring him glory.

"Your gender is part of God's workmanship."

"Your gender is part of your calling and mission."

"Your gender frees you to be you."

"Feminine beauty comes from masculine authority fastened to mutual interdependence."

"Use your gender to tell the truth about the Son of God."

Gender and Our Relationship To Ourselves: Psalm 19

The second in a series of 3 sermons on the theology of our sexuality. Here are a few quotes to help you reflect and grow. May God use our humanity to bring him glory.

"God determined your gender in eternity past."

"Your gender is a both a creative and revelatory work of God."

"Biology alone isn't sufficient to explain gender."

"You might be wrong about your gender."

"Your most important identity is your identity with Christ, not your gender."

"There is room in our church for people struggling with their gender."

Lunch is on us.

If you are a recent guest, first-time attender, just passing through, or have been around a couple weeks but haven't yet been to a guest luncheon, then please be our guest! Join us this Sunday, 11-23-14, immediately following the service, for a luncheon in the Woman's Club Garden.

We'd love to get to know you better.

The format is "come-and-go as you please" and kids are welcome. More info will be available at the service on Sunday. See you then!

Anyone who has visited Sovereign Grace Church of Orange knows:

Our church loves to sing!

There's no one more worthy of praise than God, and no one more inspired to offer that praise than God's redeemed people. 

In His kind providence, we are part of a denomination who loves to sing and has dedicated musicians who create music for churches like ours. Sovereign Grace Music has put out an AMAZING new Christmas album called Prepare Him Room. We want to take advantage of these gospel-saturated tunes.

In the coming weeks, we will introduce 2 songs from this album in our services. This Sunday, we'll be singing God Made Low. Follow the link below to hear the song and then come ready to sing it this weekend!

Click here to listen God Made Low