Sunday

September 18, 2022

Resources and content for this Sunday.

Order of Worship

September 18, 2022

*Call to Worship | Matthew 28:18-20 | Blake Arnoult

God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.

18 Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

*Song of Adoration | Sing To The King

We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does. 

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

*Confession of Faith | Heidelberg Catechism Q.1

With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.

Q: What is your only hope in life and death?

A: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

*Song of Confession | From The Depths of Woe

Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

From the depths of woe I raise to Thee the voice of lamentation;

Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and hear my supplication;

If Thou iniquities dost mark our secret sins and misdeeds dark,

O who shall stand before Thee? (Who shall stand before Thee?)

O who shall stand before Thee? (Who shall stand before Thee?)

To wash away the crimson stain, grace, grace alone availeth;

Our works, alas! Are all in vain; in much the best life faileth;

No man can glory in Thy sight, all must alike confess Thy might,

And live alone by mercy (Live alone by mercy)

And live alone by mercy (Live alone by mercy)

Therefore my trust is in the Lord, and not in mine own merit;

On Him my soul shall rest, His word upholds my fainting spirit;

His promised mercy is my fort, my comfort and my sweet support;

I wait for it with patience (Wait for it with patience)

I wait for it with patience (Wait for it with patience)

Though great our sins and sore our woes, 

His grace much more aboundeth;

His helping love no limit knows, our upmost need it soundeth.

Our Shepherd good and true is He, who will at last His Israel free

From all their sin and sorrow (All their sin and sorrow)

From all their sin and sorrow (All their sin and sorrow)

Music and Lyrics: Martin Luther and Richard Massie

Confession of Sin | Psalm 130:1-6

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 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Assurance of Pardon | Psalm 130:7-8 | 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.

O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

*Song of Response | Thy Mercy, My God

We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, 

The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue; 

Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last, 

Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast. 

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here; 

Sin would reduce me to utter despair; 

But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive, 

And He that first made me still keeps me alive. 

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart, 

Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart; 

Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground, 

And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found. 

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, 

And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son; 

/All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine 

Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine./

Music and Lyrics: John Stocker, Sandra McCracken

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 | Grace Greater Than Our Sin

As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt

Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all our sin

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold

Threaten the soul with infinite loss

Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold

Points to the refuge, the mighty cross

Chorus

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide

What can avail to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide

Brighter than snow you may be today

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace

Freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see His face

Will you this moment His grace receive

Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Julia H. Johnston, D. B. Towner

Prayer for Christ’s Church

We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.

*Reading of Scripture | Psalm 46 | Joel Spence

God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

The Preaching of the Word | Joel Spence

“Our Fortress”

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 | Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

Come Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by Thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above

Music and Lyrics: Robert Robinson

Departing Song | I’ll Fly Away

We begin to end in faith and song.

Some glad morning when this life is over, I'll fly away

To that home on God's celestial shore, I'll fly away

 

I'll fly away oh glory; I'll fly away 

When I die hallelujah by and by, 

I'll fly away

 

When the shadows of this life have gone, I'll fly away 

Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly, I'll fly away 

Chorus

Oh how glad and happy when we meet, I'll fly away

No more cold iron shackles on my feet, I'll fly away

Chorus

Just a few more weary days and then, I'll fly away 

To a land where joys will never end, I'll fly away

Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Albert E. Brumley

 

*Benediction | 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 | 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.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

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!

Youth Teaching

Today, 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

Today we began 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. 

Adult Teaching

October 2, 4-6pm

Join us at the home of Tim and Frances Arnoult on Sunday, 

October 2 for the second session of our series!

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