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August 31, 2025
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Hebrews 12:1-2 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
*Song of Adoration | Blessed Be Your Name
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say
Chorus
/ You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name /
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Beth Redman, Matt Redman
*Confession of Faith | Matthew 22:37-40; Hebrews 4:15
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
Matthew 22:37-40
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Hebrews 4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
*Song of Confession | My Worth Is Not In What I Own
Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love – At the cross.
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed – At the cross.
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure,
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other.
My soul is satisfied in Him alone.
As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us – At the cross
I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom's fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ – At the cross
Chorus
Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed; my ransom paid – At the cross.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Graham Kendrick
Confession of Sin | Psalm 127:1-2
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.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Assurance of Pardon | John 6:35 | 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.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
*Song of Response | How Deep The Father's Love For Us
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give his only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Music and Lyrics: Stuart Townend
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 | Jesus Thank You
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Chorus
Lover of my soul
I want to live for You
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Pat Sczebel
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Matthew 4:1-17 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
41 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Trial by Combat”
Matthew: The Gospel to the Church
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 | There Is A Fountain
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.
Wash all my sins away, wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Music and Lyrics: William Cowper, Lowell Mason, Mark Willard
Departing Song | All I Have Is Christ
We begin to end in faith and song.
Hallelujah all I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life
I once was lost in darkest night, Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life, Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own, A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first, I would refuse you still
But as I ran my hell bound race, Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state, And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed, You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me, Now all I know is grace!
Hallelujah all I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life
Now Lord I would be Yours alone, And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands, Could never come from me
O Father use my ransomed life, In any way You choose
And let my song forever be, My only boast is You
Chorus
Lyrics & Music: Jordan Kauflin
*Benediction | Romans 16:20 | 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.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.