:: Download the 11.9.2014 Worship Study Guide and Sermon Notes
:: Download the 11.9.2014 Bulletin
:: Download the 11.9.2014 Parent Bulletin
:: Download the 11.9.2014 Sermon Audio
image :: The School Clock, Robert Doisneau (Paris, 1956)
Preparation for Worship :: Comfort and the Ends of the Earth
“The Gospel is the story of God covering His naked enemies, bringing them to the wedding feast, and then marrying them rather than crushing them.” (Ed Welch)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (II Corinthians 1:3-4)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for November 9 include:
:: Crown Him With Many Crowns (Matthew Bridges, 1851) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=430611362 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=92738205]
:: Calmer of My Troubled Heart (Charles Wesley, 1762) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=930978907 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=787838808]
:: Give Me Jesus (African-American Spiritual) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=549942375 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=893825801]
:: Every Ditch, Every Valley (Peter LaGrand, 2008) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2929548631 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=3354859726]
:: O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus (Samuel Trevor Francis, c.1890) [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2284543217 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none track=828526162]
:: Rejoice the Lord is King (Charles Wesley, 1744)
Call to Worship :: Psalm 98:1-4
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. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Confession of Sin
Heavenly Father, You created us in Your image that we might reflect Your righteousness, holiness and truth. You gave You only Son, that we might have life. You poured out Your Holy Spirit upon the Church to grant us power to love and serve You. But we have sinned. Forgive our closed minds; We have denied Your truth. Forgive our closed eyes; We have been blind to our calling. Forgive our closed hands; We have hoarded Your gracious provision. Forgive our closed hearts; We have limited our affections to ourselves and our own. Lord, have mercy on us and forgive us all of our sins. Open our hearts to the truth and power of Your Spirit, that we may open our lives in awe of You and eagerly share in the joy of Your mission.
Words of Encouragement :: Colossians 1:12–14
The Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
New Testament Reading :: Romans 8:15-17
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Sermon :: Isaiah 52:1-10
1 Awake, awake,
put on your strength, O Zion;
put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for there shall no more come into you
the uncircumcised and the unclean.
2 Shake yourself from the dust and arise;
be seated, O Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says the Lord: “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 5 Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
9 Break forth together into singing,
you waste places of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.