Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 148:1-3, 5, 7-14 (CSB17)
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded, and they were created.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and cloud,
stormy wind that executes his command,
mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
young men as well as young women,
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted.
Hallelujah!
Our Sung Call to Worship
Indescribable
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Lament
From Psalm 88 (NIV)
LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION
Our Sung Confession
Is He Worthy?
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
From Revelation 5:5, 9-10, 12, 13 (CSB17)
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep.
Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,
has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and you purchased people for God by your blood
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and blessing!
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Thanksgiving and Petition
We Give Thanks in Prayer and Offer Petitions to God
We express our gratitude to God our Father for Christ’s work on the cross for us and bring our requests before him. In bringing our requests, we confess that we believe God truly is a good father, who cares about our needs and gives us what he knows is best.
We Give Thanks by Giving
We give financial offerings to support the work of the church because of our gratitude to God. By giving we confess we are trusting in God’s provision for us as well.
On the first Sunday of each month we have two offerings—one for the general fund and a second one for the benevolence ministry of our church.
You may give electronically at gabcames.org/giving/.
We Give Thanks in Song
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
Scripture Reading
Psalm 119:105-112 (ESV)
Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep your righteous rules.
107 I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O LORD, according to your word!
108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD,
and teach me your rules.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Psalm 119:105-112 – The Committed Heart – Pastor Michael Felkins
The Lord’s Supper
This morning we will be observing the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant meal for the people of God whereby we remember the person and work of Christ on the cross to redeem us from our sin. It is a time to reflect, remember and repent. It is also the application of the sermon whereby we confess our sin and continually turn to Jesus for grace.
If you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, have been baptized by immersion and are a member in good standing of a local church we invite you to share in this covenant meal with us.
We also ask that everyone who takes this covenant meal with us remember the warning given by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” So we ask that you examine your heart and your relationship with God through the person and work of Christ.
If you are not able to receive the Lord’s Supper with us, please use this time to meditate on one of the following prayers.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH
Lord Jesus, You claim to be the Way, the Truth and the Life. If what You claim is true, please guide me, teach me and open me to the reality of who You are. Grant that I might be undaunted in my pursuit of knowing You. Give me an understanding of You that is coherent and convincing, and that leads me to the life in You. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through You I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank You for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserve in order to purchase my complete forgiveness. Knowing that You have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive You as My Savior and Lord. Amen.
A PRAYER OF COMMITMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CONFESSED FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus, You have called us to follow You in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in Your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with Your people, and live in the fullness of Your Spirit in a local community of Christ followers. Amen.
adapted from D. A. Carson, ed., Worship by the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002)
Gluten Free Lord’s Supper: The elements of our Lord’s Supper are gluten free.
Please dispose of your Lord’s Supper cup in the waste receptacles near the doors.
Sending
Having heard and confessed the Gospel, we are sent into the world on mission in Christ, which we express in both song and spoken word.
Sending Song
Doxology