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*Call to Worship | Isaiah 52:7 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
*Song of Adoration | O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life, and health, and peace.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
He breaks the power of reigning sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Glory to God, and praise and Love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley
*Confession of Faith | 1 Corinthians 15:1-7
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you-unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
*Song of Confession | Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Joy to those who long to see thee
Day-spring from on high appear
Come thou promised Rod of Jesse
Of Thy birth we long to hear
O'er the hills the angels singing
News glad tidings of a birth
Go to him your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth
Come to earth to taste our sadness
He whose glories knew no end
By his life he brings us gladness
Our Redeemer Shepherd Friend
Leaving riches without number
Born within a cattle stall
This the everlasting wonder
Christ was born Lord of all
Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne
Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley, Mark E. Hunt
Confession of Sin | Romans 3:10-18
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.
10 None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Assurance of Pardon | Romans 3:23-24 | 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.
23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by God’s grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
*Song of Response | Give Us Clean Hands
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
/We can’t make it on our own, oh God, we need the cross and the Savior’s blood./
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees, oh, Spirit come and make us humble.
We turn our eyes from evil things, oh, Lord we cast down our idols.
/Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another./
/O God, let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks Your face, oh, God of Jacob./
Music and Lyrics: Charlie Hall
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 | Great Is Thy Faithfulness
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
I could not love Thee, so blind and unfeeling;
Covenant promises fell not to me.
Then without warning, desire, or deserving,
I found my Treasure, my pleasure, in Thee.
Chorus
I have no merit to woo or delight Thee,
I have no wisdom or pow’rs to employ;
Yet in thy mercy, how pleasing thou find’st me,
This is Thy pleasure: that Thou art my joy.
Chorus
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Thomas O. Chisholm, John Piper, William M. Runyan
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Mark 1:1, 4, 7-17, 21, 23-26, 32-34 | Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins…7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching…23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Initiation Story of Jesus”
The Gospel of Mark: A Mosaic of Jesus
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 | More Than Enough
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
All of You is more than enough for all of me,
for every thirst and every need.
You satisfy me with Your love,
and all I have in You is more than enough.
You are my supply, my breath of life;
still more awesome than I know.
You are my reward, worth living for;
still more awesome than I know.
Chorus
You’re my sacrifice of greatest price;
still more awesome than I know.
You’re my coming King, You are everything;
still more awesome than I know.
Chorus
More than all I want, more than all I need,
You are more than enough for me.
More than all I know, more than all I can see,
You are more than enough.
Music and Lyrics: Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio
Departing Song | Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
We begin to end 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///
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///
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///
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///
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///
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///
For by Thee, we come to God
Music and Lyrics: John Newton, Laura Taylor
*Benediction | 2 Peter 1:2-3 | 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 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bible Studies
Weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Women’s Morning Study: Our morning study meets Wednesdays at 9:30am at the Wade home to study Nancy Guthrie’s 8-week series, God Does His Best Work With Empty. It’s not too late to join us!
Women’s Evening Study: Our evening study meets at 7pm on Thursdays for fellowship and study at the Najjar home! We are working through Nancy Guthrie’s 8-week series, God Does His Best Work With Empty. It’s not too late to join us!
Men’s Study:
The men’s study is meeting at 6:30am at the Buffalo Grille on the corner of Voss and Woodway. Come study the word with us!
Adult Teaching
Today on September 11, 4-6pm
Join us at the home of Tim and Frances Arnoult on Sunday, September 11 for the first session of our adult teaching series!
Nursery Unavailable
September 18
We will be worshipping in the lobby next Sunday, September 18 and the nursery will be unavailable.
Youth Teaching
September 18, 11:30am - 1pm
5th-12th graders! Join us at the Erwin home for pizza, fellowship, and teaching by Pastor Blake!
Children and Youth Sunday School
September 18 - October 23, 9:15-9:45am
This fall we will begin Sunday school for all ages (pre-k too!) before each service! 4th grade and younger will gather in the lobby to learn a song, pray, and hear a lesson from Pastor Blake. Youth will gather upstairs for prayer and a lesson from Amy Kitchel. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children under the age of 5.