Spirit and Truth: 11/13/11
Call to Worship Song
Lift Up The Name by Josh Caterer, Harvest Music, 2008
This modern song is from Psalm 116. It points us to God’s great mercy in Christ.
“I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.”
Like the Psalmist, we respond to the great mercy he has given us through Christ by lifting up the cup of salvation in thanksgiving and praise. We do that by lifting up the name that brings redemption and the forgiveness of sins, the name of Jesus!
Song of Testimony
Come Thou Fount by Robert Robinson, 1758
We will respond to the Truth of God’s great unceasing mercy by singing a modern arrangement of an old hymn. This hymn is an acknowledgement of the sovereignty God at work in our lives and reminds our hearts that every gift is from God including the very gift of tuning our hearts to be able to sing His praise!
What is an “Ebenezer?” (“stone of help”): A tangible reminder of God’s Real, Holy Presence and Divine aid.
Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and named it Ebenezer; for he said, “Thus far the LORD has helped us,” (1 Samuel 7:12).
Responsive Prayer
As a community of faith we will confess who we are before a Holy God and in whom we trust. We will do that this Sunday through a responsive prayer used by the Scottish reformer, John Knox, in a liturgy in 1560.
Leader: Almighty God, we are unworthy to come into your presence, because of our many sins. We do not deserve any grace or mercy from you, if you dealt with us as we deserve.
All: We have sinned against you, O Lord, and we have offended you.
Leader: And yet, O Lord, as we acknowledge our sins and offenses, so also do we acknowledge you to be a merciful God, a loving and favorable Father, to all who turn to you.
All: And so we humbly ask you, for the sake of Christ your son, to show mercy to us, and forgive us all our offenses.
Leader: By your Spirit, O God, take possession of our hearts, so that, not only the actions of our life, but also the words of our mouths, and the smallest thought of our minds, may be guided and governed by you. All: Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
Song of Adoration & Faith
May Your Power Rest on Me by Joel Gerdis & Neil Robins (Sojourn Music)
This song is about the sufficiency of God’s grace in our weakness and in trials/persecution. As the apostle Paul found, we are to be content in our weaknesses and through persecution because it is in those things that Christ’s power is made perfect (see 2 Cor 12:1-10).
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me,” (verse 9).
Worship through Truth
Preaching Text: Acts 4:22-31
Song of Response
I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous) by Charles Gabriel, 1905
The scandalous message of the Gospel, that God, the creator of all that is, giver and sustainer of life, came to us in Christ to reveal Himself to sinful man and to redeem us, is an amazing story.
As we respond to this Truth of the Gospel, may we resound in praise to Christ and sing with unhindered joy, How marvelous, How wonderful, and my song shall ever be, how marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior’s love for me!
Closing Song of Proclamation
Glorious Day by J. Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) (Casting Crowns Arrangement)
As we prepare to scatter as The Church let us join together in proclaiming Christ’s justifying work on our behalf for the glory of God. May we live in the Truth we proclaim!
Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away, rising He justified freely forever, one day He’s coming, Oh glorious Day!
Scriptural Benediction & Commission to “Go, be The Church”
1 Peter 1:3-7 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
