::  Download the 1.12.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

::  Download the 1.12.2014 Bulletin

:: Download the 1.12.2014 Parents Bulletin

::  Listen to the 1.12.2014 Sermon Audio 

image :: Root Dance, Endre Balint (1952, Hungarian)

Preparation for Worship  ::  Know the Love of Christ

“A man may love another as his own soul, yet perhaps that love of his cannot help him. He may thereby pity him in prison, but not relieve him; bemoan him in misery, but not help him; suffer with him in trouble, but not ease him. We cannot love grace into a child, nor mercy into a friend; we cannot love them into heaven, though it may be the greatest desire of our soul. … But now the love of Christ, being the love of God, is effectual and fruitful in producing all the good things which He wills unto His beloved. He loves life, grace, and holiness into us; He loves us also into covenant, loves us into heaven.”  (John Owen)

Songs, Hymns and Spiritual Songs

::  The Love of Christ is Rich and Free (Gadsby, 1814)    history  //  chart  //  audio
::  Upon a Life I Did Not Live (Bonar, 1881)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  What Wondrous Love is This (American Folk Hymn, c.1811)   history  //  chart  //  audio
::  O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile (Faber, 1849)  history  //  chart  //  audio
::  We Exalt Thee  (Sanchez, 1977)  history  //  chart

Call to Worship  ::  from Psalm 118

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good and His love endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD say “His love endures forever.” The Lord is our Strength and our Song; He has become our Salvation. I will give you thanks, for You answered me; You have become my Salvation.  The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine upon us.  You are our God, and we will give You thanks: You are our God, and we will exalt You.

Old Testament Reading  :: Lamentation 3:19-24

Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in Him.”

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 3:14-21

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We Confess Our Sin Together :: based on I Corinthians 13

Love is patient.  (Am I willing to endure trying people?)

Love is kind.  (Am I thinking or acting uncharitably toward anyone?)

Love is not possessive.  (Am I manipulative? Do I use people?)

Love is not boastful or proud.  (Do I love to be the center of attention?)

Love is courteous.  (Am I considerate, thoughtful, warm?)

Love is not selfish.  (Am I fixed on my needs and rights?)

Love is not irritable or bitter.  (Am I forgiving?  Do I keep a record of wrongs?)

Love delights in truth and righteousness.  (Am I eager to trust and follow Jesus?)

Words of Encouragement ::  I John 4:9-10

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Benediction

::  Download the 1.5.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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::  Download the 1.5.2014 Parent Bulletin

::  Download the 1.5.2014 Sermon Audio

image :: Perspectival Study of the Adoration of the Magi, Leonardo da Vinci (c.1481, Italian)

Preparation for Worship  ::  Manifold Wisdom

“True and sound wisdom consists of two parts: In knowing God, each of us also knows himself… our very being is nothing but subsistence in the one God… Indeed, our very poverty better discloses the infinitude of benefits reposing in God.” (John Calvin)

“God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong… It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (I Corinthians 1:27,30)

“Even angels long to look into these things.” (I Peter 1:12)

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs for Jan 5

::  Dayspring (Wesley, 1740)  //  history  //  chart  //  audio

::  Immortal, Invisible Go Only Wise (Smith, 1867)  //  history  //  chart  //  audio

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

::  Here I Am to Worship (Hughes)  //  chart  //  audio

::  Arise, O God, and Shine (Hurn, 1813)  //  history  //  chart  //  audio

::  From All That Dwell Below The Skies (Watts, 1719)  //  history  // chart  //  audio

Call to Worship  ::  John 8:12

Jesus said,
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows Me
will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”

Old Testament Reading  ::  Proverbs 8:1-11

Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 3:7-13

⁷ Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

We Confess Our Sin Together  ::  John Wesley (1703-1791)

Forgive them all, O Lord;
Our sins of omission and our sins of commission;
The sins of our youth and the sins of our riper years;
The sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies;
Our secret and our more open sins;
Our sins of ignorance and surprise,
And our more deliberate and presumptuous sin;
The sins we have done to please ourselves,
And the sins we have done to please others;
The sins we know and remember,
And the sins we have forgotten;
The sins we have striven to hide from others
And the sins by which we have made others offend You;
Forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all for His sake,
Who died for our sins and rose for our justification,
and now stands at Your right hand
to make intercession for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.                                             

Words of Encouragement  ::  John 1:29

“Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!”

Benediction

::  Download the 12.29.2013 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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image :: Before Time (Mysteries 12) 05-01-11, John Hoyland (British, 2011)

Preparation for Worship  ::  The Mystery of Christ

Kneeling

at the foot of the universe

I ask

from this body

in confusion

and pain (a condition

which You

may recall)

Clothed now in light

clothed in abyss, at the prow

of the desert

killed

Into everywhereness—

have mercy

Mercy on us all

Franz Wright, “Petition”

::   O Come All Ye Faithful [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3373596575 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5]

::  What Child is This?  [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=7]

::  Love Came Down at Christmas [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=3]

::  Silent Night  [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=1862228885 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5]

::  In the Bleak Midwinter  [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=8]

::  Creator of the Stars of Night  [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=1]

Call to Worship  :: Psalm 95:1-3,6-7

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 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.

New Testament Reading  :: Romans 11:25-7,33-36

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”… Oh, 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  ::  Ephesians 3:1-6

¹ For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Heavenly Father–You alone are our Maker, Who delights to dwell with the broken and contrite. Jesus Christ– You are our Redeemer, Who alone satisfies divine wrath by His perfect sacrifice. Holy Spirit– You are our only Comforter,  Who grants us repentance and faith. We confess before You and one another that we have sinned against You in thought and word and deed; that we have not loved You with all our heart and soul, mind and strength; that we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. O Lord, with You there is forgiveness, Therefore you are feared.  We beseech You, O God, to forgive what we have been, to change what we are, and by Your mercy direct what we are becoming; so that we may hereafter walk in the way of Your commands. Forgive and sanctify us, O Lord.  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 12.22.2013 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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image :: La Nativité à la Torche, Antoine, Louis & Mathieu Le Nain (17th century, French)

Preparation for Worship  ::  Incarnation

Jesus, equal to the Father in the form of God, became like us in the form of a servant, and refashions us into the likeness of God. The only Son of God, having become the Son of Man makes many sons of men the sons of God.   (Augustine of Hippo, “Sermon on the Nativity”, 5th century)

:: O Come, All Ye Faithful

:: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

::  Veiled in Darkness Judah Lay

::  Amen, Amen

::  All Glory Be To Christ

::  It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Call to Worship  :: Psalm 98:1-3

Oh 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 known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Declaration of Faith :: The Belgic Confession, Article 15 (1561)

We believe that by the disobedience of Adam original sin has been spread through the whole human race. It is a corruption of all nature— an inherited depravity which even infects small infants in their mother’s womb, and the root which produces in man every sort of sin. It is therefore so vile and enormous in God’s sight that it is enough to condemn the human race, and it is not abolished or wholly uprooted even by baptism, seeing that sin constantly boils forth as though from a contaminated spring. Nevertheless, it is not imputed to God’s children for their condemnation but is forgiven by His grace and mercy— not to put them to sleep but so that the awareness of this corruption might often make believers groan as they long to be set free from the “body of this death.”

We Confess Our Sin Together

Lord Jesus Christ, Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper, born in my birth, alive in my life, strong in my character, dominating my affections, following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought, my chain that holds me captive. Yet Your compassions yearn over me, Your heart hastens to my rescue, Your love endured my curse, Your mercy bore my justice, Your incarnation unites God and Man, And in Man crushes the Serpent’s head. Let me walk in humility, cleansed in Your blood, tender of conscience, living in triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil an heir of Your salvation through Your blessed name. Amen.

Words of Encouragement  ::  Galatians 4:4-7

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Sermon  ::  Ephesians 3:1

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 

New Testament Reading  ::  Romans 11:25-7,33-36

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob, and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”… Oh, 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.

Advent Musical Offering

“All Glory Be To Christ”, Dustin Kensrue (2012); Traditional Scottish Folk Tune [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=4004735516 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=5]

Benediction

::  Download the 12.15.2013 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

::  Download the 12.15.2013 Bulletin

::  Download the 12.15.2013 Parent Bulletin

::  Listen to the 12.15.2013 Sermon Audio 

image :: Study for The Annunciation, Henry Ossawa Tanner (c.1893, American)

Preparation for Worship  ::  Dwelling Place

Where the understanding is outraged, where human nature rebels, where our piety keeps a nervous distance: there, precisely there, God loves to be; there He baffles the wisdom of the wise; there He vexes our nature, our religious instincts. There He wants to be, and no one can prevent Him. Only the humble believe Him and rejoice that God is so free and grand, that He works wonders where man loses heart, that He makes splendid what is slight and lowly. Indeed, this is the wonder of wonders, that God loves the lowly. “God has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden.” God in lowliness – that is the revolutionary, the passionate word of Advent.  (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

:: Gloria [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=588404472 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=9]

:: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3505305395 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=4]

:: What Child Is This? [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=7]

:: In Christ Alone [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=1060200358 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=12]

Call to Worship  :: Malachi 3:1

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

Confession of Faith :: from Article 17, of the Belgic Confession (1561)

We believe that our good God, by His marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from Him. And He comforted him promising to give him His Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed.

New Testament Reading  :: Romans 8:18-25

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Sermon  :::  Ephesians 2:19-22

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

We Confess Our Sin Together :: based on Isaiah 60:1-3

“Arise, shine: for your Light has come.” Heavenly Father, forgive us; we have lived as if the Light of the World had not overcome the darkness of our sin.

“And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Lord Jesus Christ, redeem us; We confess that we sought our own glory as we grew impatient for Your advent.

“For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Holy Spirit, renew us; We have often grown accustomed to darkness, and so hardened the true yearnings of our waiting hearts.

“And nations shall come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising.” Almighty God, You came to us in the fullness of time. Draw us to live in Your presence and grace. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: Matthew 1:21

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

Benediction