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image :: Love Letters, Stanley Spencer (1950, British)

Preparation for Worship  ::  Speaking the Truth in Love

“We desire truth and find in ourselves nothing but uncertainty.
We seek happiness and find only wretchedness and death.
We are incapable of not desiring truth and happiness,
and incapable of either certainty or happiness.”   (Blaise Pascal)

“I change, He changes not, the Christ can never die;
His Love, not mine, the resting-place, His Truth, not mine, the tie.”   (Horatius Bonar)

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Feb 23

::  Crown Him With Many Crowns (Matthew Bridges, 1851)  chart  //  audio

::  Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1674)   chart  //  audio

::  He is Lord (Traditional American, 20th century)  chart  //  audio

::  The Christian’s Hope Can Never Fail  (Gadsby Hymnal, 1838)    chart  //  audio

::  Jesus, the Lord My Savior Is  (Gadsby Hymnal, 1838)   chart  //  audio

::  O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing (Charles Wesley, 1739)  chart  //  audio

Call to Worship  ::  Psalm 86:8-12

There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours.  All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.  For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.  Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.  I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever.

Old Testament Reading  ::  Isaiah 45:18-19, 22-25

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right…Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Heavenly Father, all Your lovingkindness is in Your Son, I bring Him to You in the arms of faith, I urge His saving name as the One who died for me, I plead His blood to pay for my debts of wrong. Accept His worthiness for my unworthiness, His sinlessness for my transgression, His purity for my uncleanness, His sincerity for my guile, His truth for my deceits, His meekness for my pride, His constancy for my backslidings, His love for my enmity, His fullness for my emptiness, His faithfulness for my treachery, His obedience for my lawlessness, His glory for my shame, His devotedness for my waywardness, His holy life for my unchaste ways, His righteousness for my dead works, His death for my life.  Amen.

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.

Benediction

::  Download the 2.16.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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image :: Children Coming Out of School, Honoré Daumier (c.1847, French)

Preparation for Worship  :: He Shepherds

“A salvation whose very essence is that it is corporate and cosmic, the restoration of the broken harmony between all men and between man and God and between man and nature, must be communicated in a different way.  It must be communicated in and by the actual development of a community which embodies– if only in foretaste– the restored harmony of which it speaks.  A Gospel of reconciliation can only be communicated by a reconciled community.” (Leslie Newbigin)

“Legalism says God will love us if we change. The Gospel says God will change us because He loves us.” (Tullian Tchividjian)

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Feb 16

::  Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder (John Newton, 1774)    audio  //  chart

::  The Church’s One Foundation  (Samuel Stone, 1866)    audio  //  chart 

::  Jesus Lover of My Soul (Charles Wesley, 1740)    audio  //  chart

::  Jesus Whispers (Joseph Hart, 1759)    audio // chart

::  Beautiful One (Tim Hughes, 2002)  audio  //  chart

Call to Worship  :: Psalm 95:6-7

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Old Testament Reading  :: Numbers 27:15-17

Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We Confess Our Sin Together :: from The Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have offended against Your holy laws.
We have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done,
and there is no health in us.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us:
restore those who repent,
according to Your promises declared to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
And grant, merciful Father, for His sake,
That we may live a godly, righteous, and obedient life,
to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: I Peter 2:24-25

He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Benediction

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image :: Did You Speak To Me?, William Merritt Chase (1897, American)

Preparation for Worship  :: He Reveals

“This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in Him and are offered to us by Him from God the Father.  If one were to sift through the whole Law and the Prophets, he would not find a single word which would not draw and bring us to Him.” (John Calvin)

“The LORD has made known His salvation.”  (Psalm 98:2)

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Feb 9

::  Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (Walter C. Smith, 1867)  audio  //  chart

::  The Gospel Is Good News Indeed (William Gadsby, 1773-1844)  audio  //  chart

::  What Wondrous Love is This (American Folk Hymn, c.1811)    audio  // chart

::  How Firm a Foundation (R. Keen, c.1787)   audio // chart

::  Come Ye Sinners (Joseph Hart, 1759)   audio //  chart

::  Gloria Patri  (2^nd century hymn; Henry W. Greatorex, 1851)  audio  //  chart

Call to Worship  ::  Hebrews 1:1-3

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

Old Testament Reading  :: Psalm 98:1-3

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Father in heaven, We confess that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words and deeds. You have spoken definitively by Your Son: forgive us for living as if You never act, never hear, never speak. Forgive us for the vigilante justice we pursue through our plotting, slander, gossip, self-righteous anger and passive aggression. Forgive us for living as if You do not care for us. Forgive us and cleanse us. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways. To the glory of Your Name.  Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Benediction

::  Download the 2.2.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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image :: Ascension, Salvador Dalí (1958, Spanish)

Preparation for Worship  ::  He Ascended

“O strong Ram, which hast batter’d heaven for me!  Mild lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark’d the path!  Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see!  O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath!”  (John Donne, Ascension)

“Christ… in our nature, and as our Head, triumphing over enemies, visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men, to raise up our affections there, and to prepare a place for us, where He Himself is, and shall continue till His second coming at the end of the world.”  (Westminster Larger Catechism)

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs for Feb 2

::  Come Said Jesus Sacred Voice (Barbauld, d.1825)  chart  //  audio

::  Rejoice the Lord is King (Wesley, 1744)  chart  //  audio

::  The House of God Forever (Foreman, 2008)  chart  //  audio

::  By His Wounds (Wardell, 2011)  chart  //  audio

::  Doxology (Ken, 1674) chart  //  audio

::  Jesus Shall Reign (Watts, 1719)  chart  //  audio

::  Your Great Name (Grant, 2008)  chart  //  audio

::  Crown Him With Many Crowns (Bridges, 1851)  chart  //  audio

Call to Worship  ::  Psalm 68:18-20

You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in Your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.

Declaration of Faith  ::  The Heidelberg Catechism, 49-50 (1563)

How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us? First, He pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of His Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven–  a guarantee that Christ our Head will take us, His members, to Himself in heaven. Third, He sends His Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee.  By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. What does it mean that Jesus Christ is, “seated at the right hand of God”? Christ ascended to heaven, and is there to show that He is Head of the Church, and that the Father rules all things through Him.

Old Testament Reading  ::  Daniel 7:9-14

As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened… In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 3:7-16

⁷ But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” ⁹ (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Almighty God, Ancient of Days, You have raised Jesus from death to life and crowned Him Lord of all.   We confess that we have not bowed before You or acknowledged Your authority in our lives. We have been conformed to this world and given Your glory to created things.  We have sung of Your Lordship over all creation, but have often acted as though You are powerless and careless. Forgive us and grant us grace to repent from our sin, that we may live as Your people, eagerly worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ, who is over all, through all, and in all, and is Head of the Church, His body.  Amen.        

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

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image :: The One from Many, Trevor Bell (1959, British)

Preparation for Worship  :: One

“The vocation of the local church could scarcely be more exalted. Called out of the world to be a light in the world, to be a united family among the disunited families of the earth, to be indwelled by Christ himself, to be the apple of God’s eye, to be graven on Christ’s hands, to be the glory of the image of the Holy Trinity, to be an embodiment of the infinite love of the Cross, to be a collective portrait more beautiful than any other in the world — that is the church, the local church, the new people of God.”   (Timothy Savage)

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Jan 26

::  Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber, 1826)  audio  //  chart

::  Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (Walter C. Smith, 1867)  audio  //  chart

::  The Church’s One Foundation  (Samuel Stone, 1866)  audio  //  chart 

::  There’s A Wideness in God’s Mercy (Frederick Faber, 1862)  audio  //  chart

::  For All the Saints (William How, 1864)  audio  //  chart

Call to Worship  ::  from I Chronicles 29

Praise be to You, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor. For everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name.

Old Testament Reading  :: Isaiah 44:6-8

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 4:1-6

¹ I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Almighty and merciful Father, You created us for fellowship with Yourself and one another; But, we rebelled, and made enemies of our Maker and each other. We have despised Your providence, doubted Your love, and become a law unto ourselves. We believed that human wrath would work the righteousness of God, and so have taken matters into our own hands. We are thankful that Your mercy is higher than the heavens, wider than our wanderings, and deeper than all of our sins. Grant us repentance and faith in Jesus Christ that we may desire what is good, love all that You love, and gladly follow where You lead. Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: Daniel 9:9,18

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him… We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.

Benediction

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image :: Landscape with Couple Walking and Crescent Moon, Vincent van Gogh (1890, Dutch)

Preparation for Worship  :: Walk Together

“Christ came chiefly for this reason: that we might learn how much God loves us, and might learn this to the end that we begin to glow with love of Him by whom we were first loved, and so might love our neighbor at the bidding and after the example of Him who made Himself our neighbor by loving us.”  (Augustine)

Songs, Hymns and Spiritual Songs

::  Come and Welcome (Thomas Haweis, 1792)  history  //  chart  //  audio

::  How Great Is Our God  (Tomlin, Reeves & Cash, 2004)  history  //  chart  //  audio

::  Thy Mercy My God (John Stocker, 1776)   history  //  chart  //  audio

::  All Must Be Well (Mary Bowley Peters, 1847)   history  //  chart  //  audio

::  Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779)  history  //  chart  //  audio

Call to Worship  :: Psalm 34:1-5

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together! I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Old Testament Reading  :: Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 4:1-6

¹ I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Heavenly Father, loving King, all of our sins are laid bare before Your eyes: We promote ourselves, and overlook those around us. We have nursed anger and envy, and have forsaken Your humility, gentleness, patience, love & unity. We tie our joy to our circumstances, rather than to Your Gospel. We repent of our fruitless wanderings, and ask that You renew us in Jesus Christ. Let us hear Your voice saying: “Awake and rise! His blood is your peace, His death is your life, His Spirit is your power.” Convince us that a life lived in Your service is a life of perfect freedom. Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: Acts 10:43

All the prophets testify about Jesus Christ that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.

Benediction