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*Call to Worship | Proverbs 9:10 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
Pastor: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
People: And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
*Song of Adoration | Holy Holy Holy
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Holy holy holy
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee
Which wert and art
And evermore shalt be
Holy holy holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power
In love and purity
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Music and Lyrics: John Bacchus Dykes, Reginald Heber
*Confession of Faith | Heidelberg Catechism Q.1
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
Question: What is your only comfort in life and death?
Answer: That I am not my own,
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death,
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood,
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil.
He also preserves me in such a way
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head;
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation.
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
*Song of Confession | Gracious God
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Gracious God, great is our sin
But Holy Lord Great is Your love
The burden’s too heavy to carry
The pain is too real to hide
The sin is too deep to undo
Lord hear our cry
Forgive what our lips tremble to name
And take what our hearts can no longer bear
Chorus
Lord grant us grace to be more like you
Through Jesus Christ, the light of the world
Chorus
// Set us free from a past we can’t change
Lord grant us grace
Give us a future where we can be changed
Lord grant us grace //
Gracious God, great is our sin
But Holy Lord Great is Your love
Chorus
The burden’s too heavy to carry
It burns like a fire inside
The judgement is too much to bear
Lord hear our cry
Music and Lyrics: Rivan Bennevendo
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.
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | Psalm 130: 3-4, 7 | 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.
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.
7 Hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
*Song of Response | Come As You Are
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Come out of sadness from wherever you've been
Come broken hearted let rescue begin
Come find your mercy oh sinner come kneel
/ Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal /
So lay down your burdens lay down your shame
All who are broken lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home you're not too far
So lay down your hurt lay down your heart
Come as you are
There's hope for the hopeless and all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't cure
Chorus
Come as you are
Fall in his arms; Come as you are
There's joy for the morning oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Ben Glover, David Crowder, Matt Maher
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 | Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
You hear me when I call
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light
Whom shall I fear
You crush the enemy underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield
Though troubles linger still
Whom shall I fear
I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies is always by my side
My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
(Whom shall I fear)
Chorus
/(And) nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I'm holding on to Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful/
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Scott Cash, Ed Cash, and Chris Tomlin
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Mark 16:1-8 | Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Blake Arnoult
“Fearful Stories 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 | We Will Feast In The House Of Zion
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
We will feast in the house of Zion.
We will sing with our hearts restored.
“He has done great things!”, we will say together.
We will feast and weep no more.
We will not be burned by the fire;
He is the Lord, our God.
We are not consumed by the flood;
Upheld, protected, gathered up.
Chorus
In the dark of night, before the dawn;
My soul, be not afraid.
For the promised morning, oh, how long?
Oh, God of Jacob, be my strength!
Chorus
Every vow we've broken and betrayed;
You are the Faithful one.
And from the garden to the grave;
Bind us together, bring shalom!
//Chorus//
Music and Lyrics: Sandra McCracken, Joshua Moore
Departing Song | It Is Well With My Soul
We begin to end in faith and song.
When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say:
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come’
Let this blest assurance control;
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul!
Chorus
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part but the whole;
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!
Chorus
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
//Chorus//
Music and Lyrics: Philip Bliss, Horatio Spafford
*Benediction | 2 Corinthians 13:14 | 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.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Adult Christmas Party
December 4, 6-8pm
All adults are invited to join us at the home of Blake and Ryan Arnoult for our annual Christmas party on December 4 at 6pm! We will share a meal as we celebrate the Christmas season together! This is a BYOB, adults-only event.
Children’s Christmas Party
December 11, 11:30am-1pm
Kids and parents, join us for lunch at an awesome Christmas party hosted at the Donovan home on December 11, directly after the worship service!
Christmas Eve Service
December 24, 3-4:30pm
Cornerstone is gathering for our annual Christmas Eve fellowship at 3pm followed by a worship service at 3:30pm. Invite your friends and family to join us!
Spring Calendar is Up!
Check out our spring calendar at cornerstonehouston.com!
Visit our events page to subscribe to our calendar!