:: Download the 3.22.2015 Worship Study Guide and Sermon Notes
:: Download the 3.22.2015 Bulletin
:: Download the 3.22.2015 Sermon Audio
image :: Elijah the Prophet, Nicholas Roerich (1931, Russian)
Preparation for Worship :: Whirlwind
“Tell me how we got over Lord
I’ve been falling and rising all these years
But you know, my soul looks back and wonders
How did I make it over?
But, soon as I can see Jesus
The Man that died for me…
I want to thank Him for how He bought me.” (Clara Ward)
“Behold, the Lord is coming with fire, and His chariots are like a whirlwind.” (Isaiah 66:15)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for March 22 include ::
:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
:: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (Walter C. Smith, 1867) CHART [bandcamp track=3601257253 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
:: Blessed Be Your Name (Matt Redman, 2005) CHART [bandcamp track=1903757000 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
:: Be Thou My Vision (8th Century Irish Hymn) CHART [bandcamp track=3137703094 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
:: On Jordan’s Stormy Banks (Samuel Stennett, 1787) CHART [bandcamp track=1174694383 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
:: Before There Was Time (Caedmon’s Call, 2001) CHART
>>>AUDIO
Call to Worship :: from Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty. He makes the clouds His chariot; He rides on the wings of the wind. He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire.I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have being. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
New Testament Reading :: II Corinthians 4:1-7
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
Sermon :: II Kings 2:1-14
1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
Prayer of Confession
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15)
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble.
Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble. (Psalm 32; refrain v.7)
Words of Encouragement :: II Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.