As Nazarenes gathered for the Sunday morning worship services, attendees from around the world shared what the morning’s theme, “One Lord,” meant to them through a video.

After congregational praise led by combined choirs and the orchestra, General Superintendent David W.  Graves opened in prayer and Eugénio R. Duarte read the theme verse for General Assembly, Ephesians 4:1-6. Gustavo A. Crocker emphasized opportunities for prayer and received the offering.

The choir sang a beautiful rendition of “Lord, You’re Holy” before J. K. Warrick shared the morning message. 

Warrick’s message began with a focus upon the person and work of Jesus Christ, particularly emphasizing Jesus as the “human face of the living God,” citing N. T. Wright. Quoting Eugene Peterson, Warrick noted that Jesus is a “one-of-a-kind God expression.” Two of the words that define Jesus in John 1, Warrick said, are “grace and truth.”

“We should not be afraid to speak a word of truth,” Warrick reminded.

We are to be people of love and truth; however, not in a way that separates the two.

“Jesus Christ is Lord in and of truth,” Warrick said.

Therefore, Christ-centered truth will be loving, and Christ-centered love will be grounded in the truth of God.

Grace reminds us that the “door is always open,” the sermon continued.

“We are invited into a new story with a better ending,” Warrick said. “Nobody on the face of this earth is beyond the reach of the grace of God.” 

A strong comfort to us, Warrick said, is that “Jesus is Lord in and of His Church.” Jesus would say that “You are now the light of the world,” to His disciples. Therefore, the Church exists not only for ourselves, but for those who are longing for something better. 

“When we follow Jesus, we are called and compelled to reach out and build bridges,” Warrick proclaimed, because that is who Jesus is to us and for us. 

Warrick concluded by calling the assembly to the Communion table, inviting the congregation to come to the Jesus as savior and to fully surrender to the Lordship of Christ, who commissions His Church to go in grace and truth.

--Courtesy of Holiness Today