Welcome, we’re glad you’re here. Our vision echoes the Lord’s prayer: may it be “in the South Bay, as it is in heaven.” We yearn to see people flourishing in Jesus. Join us in the worship of our Lord.
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP
“Whoever is of God hears the words of God.
The reason why you do not hear them
is that you are not of God.”
John 8:47
…again he appoints a certain day, “Today,”
saying through David so long afterward,
in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
Hebrews 4:7
So faith comes from hearing,
and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you
the Spirit of wisdom
and of revelation in the knowledge of him
Ephesians 1:18
Hear, you deaf,
and look, you blind, that you may see! …
He sees many things, but does not observe them;
his ears are open, but he does not hear.
Isaiah 42:18,20
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed…
Matthew 13:15
“One thing I do know,
that though I was blind, now I see.”
John 9:25
He said to him,
‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced
if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Luke 16:31
“Artists use lies to tell the truth. Yes, I created a lie. But because you believed it, you found something true about yourself.”
― Alan Moore
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
Isaiah 55:3
How Firm a Foundation
[Verse 1]
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
[Verse 2]
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand
[Verse 3]
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply
The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine
[Verse 4]
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake
I will never, no, never, no, never forsake
SONG
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
[Verse 1]
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still, my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
[Chorus]
SCRIPTURE READING
And I, when I came to you, brothers,
did not come proclaiming to you
the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
For I decided to know nothing among you
except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness
and in fear and much trembling,
and my speech and my message were
not in plausible words of wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
so that your faith
might not rest in the wisdom of men
but in the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom,
although it is not a wisdom of this age
or of the rulers of this age,
who are doomed to pass away.
But we impart
a secret and hidden wisdom of God,
which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
None of the rulers of this age understood this,
for if they had,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us
through the Spirit.
For the Spirit searches everything,
even the depths of God.
1 Corinthians 2:1-10
SONG
In Christ Alone
[Verse 1]
In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in all
here in the love of Christ I stand
[Verse 2]
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
here in the death of Christ I live
[Verse 3]
There in the ground, His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
[Verse 4]
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Inquirers’ Class (starts 9/24) 6-8pm, 4 sessions, every other Wednesday. Childcare and food will be provided.
Men’s Study “The Beatitudes” (starts 9/18) 7:30-9pm, the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month.
Book Study “The Screwtape Letters” (starts 10/5) 8:30-9:45am, Sunday mornings in October before Worship. Childcare is available.
OFFERTORY
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MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE
After August 2025
YTD 2025 Projected Giving: $411,908
YTD 2025 Actual Giving: $462,401
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If you would like to give electronically, you can do so here or through the mobile app by selecting “Giving” at the bottom-right corner. For cash or check donations to King’s Cross Church, please use the offering box located at the back of our worship space.
SERMON
“Why Parables”
Again he began to teach beside the sea.
And a very large crowd gathered about him,
so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea,
and the whole crowd
was beside the sea on the land.
2 And he was teaching them many things in parables,
and in his teaching he said to them:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow…
9 And he said,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was alone,
those around him with the twelve
asked him about the parables.
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given
the secret of the kingdom of God,
but for those outside everything is in parables,
12 so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
13 And he said to them,
“Do you not understand this parable?
How then will you understand all the parables? …
21 And he said to them,
“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket,
or under a bed, and not on a stand?
22 For nothing is hidden
except to be made manifest;
nor is anything secret except to come to light.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 And he said to them,
“Pay attention to what you hear:
with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you,
and still more will be added to you…
33 With many such parables
he spoke the word to them,
as they were able to hear it.
34 He did not speak to them without a parable,
but privately to his own disciples
he explained everything.
Mark 4 “selected verses” (ESV)
SONG
Give Me Jesus
[Verse 1]
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
Give me Jesus
[Chorus]
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus
[Verse 2]
When I am alone
When I am alone
Oh, when I am alone
Give me Jesus[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
When I come to die
When I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
Give me Jesus
[Chorus]
BENEDICTION
Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
What you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me —
practice these things,
and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
CONNECTION
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