By Mikee Natinga Norico
On February 8, 2026, the God’s Grace Sunday Second Worship Service was held at the University Church of Central Philippine University (CPU), gathering God’s Grace program recipients, donors, and committee members for a time of worship, testimony, and reflection on God’s transformative grace.
The service began with a call to worship, followed by a prayer of adoration, setting a reverent tone for the congregation. Mrs. Joan Castor, Secretary of God’s Grace, delivered the God’s Grace Updates, informing the church community of ongoing ministries and activities.
A heartfelt testimony was shared by Ms. Juvy Rose Acosta, who spoke about her personal experiences of faith and God’s sustaining grace. The congregation then listened to the Scripture Reading from Luke 19:1–10, recounting the story of Zacchaeus and his life-changing encounter with Jesus.
Delivering the message titled “HOW TO PICK UP A THIEF: Serving and Loving People Just as They Are,” Pastor Louvel Edson L. Caspe, Interim Pastor for Outreach, emphasized the depth of Christ’s love as demonstrated in His interaction with Zacchaeus. Pastor Caspe highlighted that Jesus chose to see and value Zacchaeus—a chief tax collector despised by many—when others ignored and rejected him.
He underscored that Jesus did not wait for Zacchaeus to change before extending grace. Instead, Christ drew near to him, teaching that love begins with presence, not distance. Zacchaeus’ repentance and transformation, Pastor Caspe noted, were responses to grace freely given, not prerequisites for acceptance.
Despite criticism from the crowd, Jesus chose compassion over public approval, affirming that He came to seek and save the lost rather than protect His reputation. The message reminded the congregation that genuine, Christlike love sees people beyond their flaws, remains with them in their brokenness, and trusts that grace—not judgment—brings about true transformation.
The service continued with the giving of tithes, pledges, and offerings, followed by the closing hymn, “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.” The worship gathering concluded with a closing prayer, encouraging those present to continue embodying grace and compassion in both service and support of the God’s Grace ministry.