Live Stream Service here
Before Attending: Please review our service information.
Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for February 28
Reflection
But the free gift is not like the trespass.
For if many died through one man’s trespass,
much more have the grace of God and
the free gift by the grace of that one man
Jesus Christ abounded for many.
Romans 5:15 (ESV)
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 117; Psalm 118:24
Praise the Lord, all who come to worship!
Glorify Him, all peoples!
For His faithful love to us is great;
The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever!
This is the day the Lord has made!
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Our Sung Call to Worship
To God Be the Glory
Verse 1
To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in. (Chorus)
Chorus
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.
Verse 2
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. (Chorus)
Verse 3
Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer and higher and greater will be
Our wonder, our victory, when Jesus we see. (Chorus)
Words by Fanny Crosby, Music by William H. Doane
Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Adapted from Henry Law The Gospel in Deuteronomy
The Scripture tells us that we are born spiritually dead
and deserve the wrath of God.
Sin has entered with a murderous hand
and planted its dagger deep within our hearts.
We delight in worldly knowledge
and spurn the knowledge of God;
We do not love His holy name
nor flinch when it is blasphemed.
We choose communion with lesser things
and ignore God’s call to sweet fellowship.
Our face is turned away,
each step leads us downward,
our hands are lifted in defiance.
Oh wretched people that we are!
Who will save us from this body of death?
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Just As I Am
Verse 1
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Verse 2
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee Whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Verse 3
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Verse 4
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Verse 5
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Verse 6
Just as I am, Thy Love unknown
Hath broken ev’ry barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Words by Charlotte Elliot, Music by William Batchelder Bradbury
Public Domain
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
There is a Savior who delivers from this death!
There is a friend who bestows heavenly life!
Jesus appears and on the cross, endures death
and by His righteousness brings new life to all who believe!
Thanks be to Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath!
Let us praise His name forever!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Verse 1
Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Verse 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed! (Chorus)
Chorus
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy reigns,
unending love, amazing grace.
Verse 3
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures. (Chorus 2 X’s)
Verse 4
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
will be forever mine,
will be forever mine.
You are forever mine.
Words by John Newton, Louie Giglio, John P. Rees and Chris Tomlin
Music by Edwin O. Excell and Chris Tomli
©2006 sixsteps Music, Vamos Publishing, worshiptogether.com songs
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/ or place your offering in the boxes at the back of the sanctuary or send a check in the mail.
Scripture Reading
Joshua 7:1-26
1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the LORD takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households. And the household that the LORD takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Joshua 7:1-26 – The Penalty of Rejecting God’s Promise – Pastor Michael Felkins
Sermon Discipleship Questions
1. What encouraged you?
2. What convicted you?
3. Is there anything in your life that needs to change?
Sending
Having heard and confessed the Gospel, we are sent into the world on mission in Christ, which we express in spoken word.
Blessing
From John MacDuff
I commend you into God’s gracious keeping this week.
My He guide you by His counsel,
guard you from temptation,
and lead you in the everlasting way.
Next Sunday’s Scripture Passage: Joshua 8:1-35