Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for August 29
Reflection
I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
Jesus, Matthew 12:6
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From The Worship Sourcebook
God of all ages:
we thank you for the faithful witness
of your apostles and prophets,
and of your saints and martyrs
throughout the history of your church
and throughout the world even today.
May the voices of all your saints, made holy in Christ,
swell in joyous praise to you, the giver of all good gifts,
through Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Be Thou My Vision
Verse 1
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art:
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Verse 2
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord:
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Verse 3
Riches I heed not, or man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Verse 4
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Ending
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Words by Mary E. Byrne & Eleanor H. Hull
Music: Traditional Irish Melody
Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Christ calls us to share the heavenly banquet of his love
with all the saints in earth and heaven.
Knowing our unworthiness and sin,
let us ask from him both mercy and forgiveness.
Eternal God, in every age
you have raised up men and women to live and die in faith.
Forgive our indifference to your will.
You have commanded us to speak,
but we have been silent.
You have called us to do what is just,
but we have been fearful.
Have mercy on us, your faithless servants.
Keep before us faithful people for us to follow
so that, by the power of your Holy Spirit,
we may grow in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
to the praise of your holy name.
Amen.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Verse 1
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. (Chorus)
Chorus
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Verse 2
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today. (Chorus)
Verse 3
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe;
All who are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive? (Chorus 2 X’s)
Words by Julie H. Johnston
Music by Daniel B. Towner
Public Domain
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Based on Revelation 7:9-10 (NRSV)
I looked, and there was a great multitude
that no one could count, from every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and languages,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb
robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!”
Today our voices join this ongoing heavenly hymn of praise.
In Jesus’ name, let us worship God.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
King of Kings
Verse 1
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light,
Till from heaven You came running,
There was mercy in Your eyes.
To fulfill the law and prophets,
To a virgin came the Word,
From a throne of endless glory,
To a cradle in the dirt. (Chorus)
Chorus
Praise the Father,
Praise the Son,
Praise the Spirit, three in one.
God of Glory, Majesty,
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Verse 2
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost,
To redeem the whole creation,
You did not despise the cross.
For even in Your suffering,
You saw to the other side.
Knowing this was our salvation,
Jesus, for our sake You died. (Chorus)
Verse 3
And the morning that You rose,
All of heaven held its breath,
Till that stone was moved for good,
For the Lamb had conquered death.
And the dead rose from their tombs,
And the angels stood in awe,
For the souls of all who’d come,
To the Father are restored.
Verse 4
And the Church of Christ was born,
Then the Spirit lit the flame.
Now this Gospel truth of old,
Shall not kneel, shall not faint.
By his blood and in His name,
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ,
Who has resurrected me. (Chorus 2X’s)
Ending
Praise forever to the King of Kings.
Words and music by Brooke Ligertwood, Jason Ingram, and Scott Ligertwood
©2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia, Fellow Ships Music, So Essential Tunes
I Surrender All
Verse 1
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. (Chorus)
Chorus
I surrender all, (I surrender all),
I surrender all; (I surrender all);
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
Verse 2
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now. (Chorus)
Verse 3
All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine. (Chorus)
Verse 4
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let thy blessing fall on me. (Chorus 2X’s)
Words by Judson W. van DeVenter
Music by Winfield S. Weeden
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 7:44-8:3 (ESV)
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses
directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they
dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days
of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49 “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
8:1 And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Acts 6:8-8:3 – It’s About Jesus – 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
May God, who has given us, in the lives of his saints,
patterns of holy living and victorious dying,
strengthen your faith and devotion
and enable you to bear witness to the truth
against all adversity.
Amen.
Next week’s scripture passage: Acts 8:4-25