:: Download the 11.16.2014 Worship Study Guide and Sermon Notes
:: Download the 11.16.2014 Bulletin
:: Download the 11.16.2014 Sermon Audio
image :: The Rescue, Honoré Daumier (French, b.1808)
Preparation for Worship :: The Cost of Comfort
“Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Exodus 2:23-25)
“Grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon His Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered Him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for November 16 include:
:: From Depths of Woe / Psalm 130 (Martin Luther, 1524) CHART [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2800896556 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=762862813]
:: Praise to the Lord the Almighty (Joachim Neander, 1680) CHART [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3261847086 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=2701349241]
:: Let Me Find Thee (Joachim Neander, 1679) CHART [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2800896556 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=1585737294]
:: Be Thou My Vision (6th Century Irish Hymn) CHART [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3401631397 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=3137703094]
:: Jesus I am Resting Resting (Jean Sophia Pigott, 1876) CHART [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=4120016334 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=104008922]
Call to Worship :: Matthew 11:28-29
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Confession of Sin
Father in Heaven, forgive us for attempting to avoid You. We have fixed our eyes and hope on ourselves instead of worshiping You. We have settled for stressed-out busyness instead of trusting You. We have immersed ourselves in a carnival of distractions instead of resting in You. We have indulged in grumbling and complaining instead of crying out to You. We have labored in anxious isolation instead of joyfully entering into Your work in the world. Yet Your compassions yearn over us, Your heart hastens to our rescue, Your love endured our curse, Your mercy bore our justice. Forgive us all of our sin and renew our hearts. Turn us back to You.
Words of Encouragement :: Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Gospel Reading :: Matthew 18:12-14
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Sermon :: Isaiah 40:1-11
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.