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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

::  Download the 1.19.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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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

::  Download the 1.12.2014 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes

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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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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