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*Call to Worship | Genesis 49:8-10 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
8 Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
*Song of Adoration | Free Grace
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
You children of God, by faith in His Son
Redeemed by His blood, and with Him made one
This union with wonder and rapture be seen
Which nothing shall sunder, without or within
This pardon, this peace which none can destroy
This treasure of grace and heavenly joy
The worthless may crave it, it always comes free
The vilest may have it, it was given to me
Free grace has paid for all my sin
Free grace, though it cost so much to Him
Free grace has freed even my will
Free grace to the end sustains me still
It's not for good deeds, good tempers nor frames
From grace it proceeds, and all is the Lamb's
No goodness, no fitness expects He from us
This I can well witness, for none could be worse
Chorus
Sick sinner, expect no balm but Christ's blood
Your own works reject, the bad and the good
None ever regret it that on Him rely
Though guilty as Saul or Jonah or I
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Matthew S. Smith, Joseph Hart
*Confession of Faith | Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.26; Revelation 5:1-5
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
How does Christ execute the office of a king?
Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
*Song of Confession | ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er,
Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more.
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me,
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood.
Chorus
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,J
ust from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.
Chorus
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: William James Kirkpatrick, Louisa M. R. Stead
Confession of Sin
We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.
Almighty and most merciful Father, we are thankful that your mercy is
higher than the heavens,
wider than our wanderings,
deeper than all our sin.
Forgive our careless attitudes toward your purposes,
our refusal to relieve the suffering of others,
our envy of those who have more than we have,
our obsession with creating a life of constant pleasure,
our indifference to the treasures of heaven,
our neglect of your wisdom and grace.
Help us to change our ways
so that we may desire what is good,
love what you love,
and do what you command,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | Romans 8:34-35 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
*Song of Response | O Help My Unbelief
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
How sad our state by nature is! Our sin, how deep it stains!
And Satan binds our captive minds Fast in his slavish chains
But there's a voice of sov’reign grace, Sounds from the sacred word:
“O, ye despairing sinners come, And trust upon the Lord.”
My soul obeys the almighty call, And runs to this relief
I would believe thy promise, Lord; O help my unbelief!
To the dear fountain of thy blood, Incarnate God, I fly;
Here let me wash my spotted soul, From crimes of deepest dye.
Stretch out Thine arm, victorious King, My reigning sins subdue;
Drive the old dragon from his seat, With all his hellish crew.
A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, On thy kind arms I fall;
Be thou my strength and righteousness, My Jesus, and my all.
Music and Lyrics: Justin Smith, Isaac Watts
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.
Song of Thanks | How Sweet and Awful is the Place
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!
Here every kindness of our God
With soft compassion rolls;
Here peace and pardon bought with blood
Is food for dying souls.
While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?
“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”
‘Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.
Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.
We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May with one voice, and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.
Music and Lyrics: Isaac Watts
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | 1 Samuel 8:1-22 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Israel Demands A Worldly King”
1 and 2 Samuel: Give Us a King
Pastoral Prayer
Sacrament of Communion
Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.
You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table.
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution
Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah!
Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.
Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from grape juice.
A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:
Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.
Communion Song | Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Let us love and sing and wonder
Let us praise the Savior’s name
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame
He has washed us with His blood (x3)
He has brought us nigh to God
Let us love the Lord Who bought us
Pitied us when enemies
Called us by His grace and taught us
Gave us ears and gave us eyes
He has washed us with His blood (x3)
He presents our souls to God
Let us sing though fierce temptation
Threatens hard to bear us down
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqu’ror’s crown
He, Who washed us with His blood, (x3)
Soon will bring us home to God
Let us wonder grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more
He Who washed us with His blood (x3)
Has secured our way to God.
Let us praise and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high
Here they trusted Him before us
Now their praises fill the sky
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood (x3)
Thou art worthy Lamb of God
Yes, we praise Thee, gracious Saviour
Wonder, love, and bless Thy Name.
Pardon, Lord our poor endeavor
Pity for Thou knowest our frame
Wash our souls and songs with blood (x3)
For by Thee, we come to God
Music and Lyrics: Laura Taylor, John Newton
Departing Song | Sing To The King
We begin to end in faith and song.
Sing to the King who is coming to reign.
Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain!
Righteousness, peace then His empire shall bring;
Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.
Come, let us sing a song,
A song declaring that we belong to Jesus;
He is all we need!
Lift up a heart of praise,
Sing now with voices raised to Jesus;
Sing to the King!
All shall be well in His kingdom of peace,
Freedom shall flourish and wisdom increase,
Foe shall be friend when His triumph we sing,
Sword shall be sickle when Jesus is King.
Chorus
Kingdom of Christ, for thy coming we pray.
Hasten, O Father, the dawn of the day!
With a new song Thy creation shall sing,
Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King!
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Billy Foote, Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, Charles Silvester Horne
*Benediction | Romans 12:2 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
January 2024 Dates
Youth Gathering - TODAY!
January 28, 11:30am
Cornerstone Students (5th - 12th), join us for a lunch out after the service at Himalaya, one of Houston’s must eat restaurants! Food and Fellowship, friends welcome!
Bible Studies
Women’s Weekly Study: Wednesday, January 31 at 10am
Our weekly women’s study of the Book of Hebrews takes place at 10am on January 31 at the home of Marion Wade.
Men’s Morning Study: Friday, February 2
Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100.
Women’s Evening Study: Thursday, February 1
Monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.
Upcoming
Kid’s Sunday School
Sundays, 9am, beginning February 11
Children up to 4th grade are invited to join us for Sunday school at 9am each Sunday beginning on February 11 to learn classic Bible stories and what they tell us about our Unique God!
Youth Sunday Bible Study
Sundays, 9am, beginning February 11
Youth 5th - 12th grade are invited to join us for Bible studyl at 9am each Sunday beginning on February 11 to learn what classic Bible stories have to tell us about our Unique God!