June 1 2014 Worship Guide :: Walk as Wise

::  Download the 6.1.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

::  Download the 6.1.2014 Bulletin

::  Download the 6.1.2014 Parent Bulletin

::  Download the 6.1.2014 Sermon Audio

image :: Netherlandish Proverbs, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1559, Flemish)

Preparation for Worship and Communion  ::  Walk As Wise

“It is written that we shall ‘stand before’ Him, shall appear, shall be inspected. The promise of glory is the promise, almost incredible and only possible by the work of Christ, that some of us… shall actually survive that examination, shall find approval, shall please God. To please God– to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness–to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son– it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” (C.S. Lewis)

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs for June 1

::  All Must Be Well (Mary Bowley Peters, 1847)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  Love Immeasurable (Ryan Long, 2007)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  The Valley (Ellie Holcomb, 2014)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  God Is Love Let Earth Adore Him (Timothy Rees, 1922)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  All Who Are Thirsty (Brown & Robertson, 1997)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  How Great is Our God (Cash, Tomlin, & Reeves, 2004)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  O Love That Will Not Let Me Go (George Matheson, 1882)  history  // chart  //  audio

Call to Worship  :: Psalm 116:5-9

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, He saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Declaration of Faith  ::  The Apostles’ Creed, 2^nd Century

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Old Testament Reading  :: Proverbs 1:1-7

To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 5:1-21

¹ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

We Confess Our Sin Together :: adapted from The Valley of Vision

O God of grace, in my Christian walk, my best efforts are stained with sin, my confessions of wrong are often marked by selfishness. I need to repent of my repentance; I need my tears to be washed; I have no robe to bring to cover my sins, no loom to weave my own righteousness; I am always standing clothed in filthy garments, and by grace am always receiving change of raiment, for You always justify the ungodly. I am always going into the far country, and always returning home as a prodigal, always saying, Father, forgive me, and You are always bringing forth the best robe. Every morning let me wear it, every evening return in it, go out to the day’s work in it, be married in it, stand before the great white throne in it, enter heaven in it shining as the sun. Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin; The exceeding righteousness of salvation; The exceeding glory of Christ; The exceeding beauty of holiness; The exceeding wonder of grace.

Words of Encouragement  :: Revelation 5:5, 9-10

Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. With his blood he has purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. He has made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Benediction