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::: Download the 8.25.2013 Sermon Notes
::: Listen to the 8.25.2013 Sermon Audio
image :: Shepherding the Flock, Mykola Pymonenko (19th century Ukrainian)
::: None Other Lamb (Christina Rossetti, 1892) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=1038326589 size=small bgcol=333333 linkcol=0f91ff t=1]
::: Song of Moses (Kendrick, Barrett, Smith, Keyes & Moerman, 2011)
::: Beautiful Things (Michael & Lisa Gungor, 2009)
::: The Valley (Ellie Holcomb, 2011) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=205563515 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=6]
::: Jesus I Come (William Sleeper, c.1840-1920) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3957404521 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=1]
::: Love’s Redeeming Work (Charles Wesley, 1739) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2843828554 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=5]
Preparation for Worship ::: Life Work
“We all long for Eden and are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature is soaked with the sense of exile.” (J.R.R. Tolkien)
“The creative action of the Christian’s life is to prepare his death in Christ.” (Flannery O’Connor)
Call to Worship ::: Romans 11:33-36
O, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
Sermon ::: Acts 20:17-38
17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
We Confess Our Sin Together
Holy God, we are guilty of rejecting Your commands, of doubting Your promises, of proud self-reliance, of neglect to rest in You. Daily we fail to love You and our neighbor as we ought. Praise You for providing the Savior in Jesus, who takes our sin and gives us His righteousness! Lord, continue the work of salvation in us: Conquer our weakness with Your strength, blot out our self-centeredness with Your glory. Meet us in our suffering and disappointments, refine us as You see fit. Keep us from returning to sin’s bondage, brighten our hearts with Your grace. Redirect our desires so that we delight deeply in You. Amen.
Words of Encouragement ::: Romans 5:6,8
At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Gospel Reading ::: John 12:24-26
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.