Service preview for June 20

Service preview for June 20

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Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for June 20

Reflection

Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective,
not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—
to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence.
It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

1Corinthians 1:26-31

Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22 (NIV)

Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Our Sung Call to Worship
How Great is Our God

Verse 1
The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty,
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide,
And trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice. (Chorus)

Chorus
How great is our God, sing with me,
How great is our God, and all will see,
How great, how great is our God.

Verse 2
Age to age He stands, and time is in His hands,
Beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead, three in one: Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb.
(Chorus)

Bridge
Name above all names,
Worthy of all praise,
My heart will sing
How great is our God. (Repeat)

(Chorus)

Words and Music by Chris Tomlin & Stuart K. Hine
©2004 sixsteps Music, Vamos Publishing, worshiptogether.com songs, Wondrously Made Songs

Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Confession

Merciful God,

We confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart
and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

In your mercy,
forgive what we have been,

In your mercy,
sanctify us by your sovereign hand.

Cause us to grow in delight
centered on You and your will.

Cause us to walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name.

Time of silent confession.

Our Sung Confession
I Am One of Those

Verse 1
I am one of those, at the table not invited,
And to all here at the feast it’s very plain,
I cannot hide in etiquette or conversation,
But Christ himself sent word to me and so I came.

Verse 2
I am one of those who was dead and fully buried,
And I still bear every stigma of decay,
There is no way I can cover just what I’ve been through,
‘cause when Jesus called I came out of the grave. (Chorus)

Chorus
Though the world may number me among the foolish,
I think Jesus Christ is all I need to know
Jesus suffered and paid blood to buy the lowest of the low
Hallelujah! Amen! That’s me! I am one of those!

Verse 3
I am one of those, who was a leper and contagious,
The deformities and scars I have today,
Yet while I was vile with sickness Jesus loved me,
And He healed, restored and through and through remade.

Verse 4
I am one of those who was doomed to death in prison,
And I’ve done more evil things than I could say,
Jesus broke inside and there unlocked my shackles,
And to set me free, he died and took my place. (Chorus)

Verse 5
I am one of those, who was hard to love and ugly,
Self-righteous critical religion was my stain.
So I ran to Christ to wash and be discovered,
Jesus came to me and covered up my shame. (Chorus)

Music and Words by Nathan Partain
©2009 Nathan Partain

Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Remember the Gospel
Adapted from Romans 5:8-9

Hear the good news!

God shows his love for us in that
while were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since therefore we have now been justified by his blood,
much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Jesus, you are our Rescuer and King,
You deserve all of our thanks, praise, and honor.

Our Sung Profession of Assurance
It Is Well

Verse 1
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Verse 2
Tho’ Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Verse 3
My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t:
My sin not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Verse 4
And, Lord, haste the day when faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so,” it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Words by Horatio G. Spafford, Music by Philip P. Bliss
Public Domain

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
Acts 1:12-26
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

This the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

Sermon
Acts 1:12-26 – Together for the Gospel – Pastor Eric Schumacher

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
Based on Romans 1:16-17 and Matthew 5:16

Now, as you go, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and praise your father in heaven. And may your words, thoughts, and actions testify to God’s power in the gospel.

Next week’s scripture passage: Acts 2:1-13