:: Download the 11.22.2015 Worship Study Guide and Sermon Notes
:: Download the 11.22.2015 Bulletin
:: Download the 11.22.2015 Sermon Audio
image :: The Fallen Jockey, Edgar Degas (c.1896, French)
Preparation for Worship :: Stumbling Stone
“We need a divine operation upon the heart and mind to make us willing to receive into our inmost soul this distasteful Gospel of the grace of God…. Hide not the offence of the Cross, lest you make it of none effect. “ (Charles Spurgeon)
“They did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone.” (Romans 9:32)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Sunday November 22 include ::
:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1758) CHART [bandcamp track=4015998502 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: All Things New (Horatius Bonar, 1846) CHART [bandcamp track=503053927 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (John Newton, 1774) CHART [bandcamp track=3647467981 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: My Hope is Built on Nothing Less (Edward Mote, 1834) CHART [bandcamp track=1070234810 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779) CHART [bandcamp track=2203479634 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
Call to Worship :: Psalm 18:1-3
I love You, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer; My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Old Testament Reading :: Isaiah 8:11-15
For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
Prayer of Confession
Gracious Lord, we confess that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words and deeds. Depending on our own strength, we stumble. Glorying in our own righteousness, we mock You. Turning our faces from You, we desire the things of this world to satisfy us. We repent of our self-pity and pride, our cowardice and sloth, our anger and envy. We pray now, Lord, for You to forgive us; Let us hear Your voice saying: “His blood is your peace, His death is your freedom, His Spirit is your power.” We pray these things in the name of Your most precious Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Words of Encouragement :: Romans 5:6,8
At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Sermon :: I Peter 2:4-8
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.