Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for October 17
Reflection
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen,
not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
C.S. Lewis, “Is Theology Poetry?” The Oxford Socratic Club, 1944; Samizdat University Press, 2014
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Adapted from Psalm 147: 1-11
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant and praise is beautiful!
The Lord heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
And calls them all by name.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving!
We will sing to the Lord!
For the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Psalm 121
Verse 1
I lift my eyes up to the hills,
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
Maker of heaven and earth.
Pre Chorus
He will not let your feet slip,
His right hand never leaves you
He who keeps you never slumbers nor sleeps.
Chorus
He watches over you,
Like a shade from the sun by day and the moon by night
He watches over you,
No evil can ever invade the covering of Yahweh.
(Repeat Verse 1, Pre Chorus and Chorus)
Bridge
When you go out, when you come in, He watches over You.
Today and forevermore, He never leaves You.
(Chorus)
Words and Music by Shane Heilman
©Angry Monkey Publishing
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
We look forward to a time when our hearts and minds are fully Christ’s. But until then we battle our natural inclinations day and night.
Forgive us, Lord, for minds that are set on things below;
For eyes that are drawn to unworthy images;
For ears that turn toward the world’s whispers;
For lips which profane your name and denigrate others;
For hands that hurt rather than help;
For feet that so quickly run to evil;
And for a heart that does not love you as it should.
Scripture declares that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive them and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Spend a few moments in silent, personal confession.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Not In Me
Verse 1
No list of sins I have not done,
No list of virtues I pursue,
No list of those I am not like,
Can earn myself a place with You.
O God! Be merciful to me—
I am a sinner through and through!
My only hope of righteousness
Is not in me, but only You.
Verse 2
No humble dress, no fervent prayer,
No lifted hands, no tearful song,
No recitation of the truth
Can justify a single wrong.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life,
My debt was paid by Jesus’ death,
My weary load was borne by Him
And He alone can give me rest.
Verse 3
No separation from the world,
No work I do, no gift I give,
Can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands;
I cannot cause my soul to live.
But Jesus died and rose again—
The pow’r of death is overthrown!
My God is merciful to me
And merciful in Christ alone.
Ending
My righteousness is Jesus’ life,
My debt was paid by Jesus’ death,
My weary load was borne by Him
And He alone can give me rest.
And He alone can give me rest.
Words and Music by Eric Schumacher and David L. Ward
©2012 Hymnicity
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Adapted from the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Christ stood in the place of His elect; for them He made a full Atonement; for them He so suffered, that not a sin of theirs shall ever be laid at their door. As the Father’s love embraced them—so the death of His Son reconciled them.
Thanks be to Jesus for His life, death, burial and resurrection on our behalf!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery
Verse 1
Come behold the wondrous mystery,
In the dawning of the King.
He, the theme of heaven’s praises,
Robed in frail humanity.
In our longing, in our darkness,
Now the light of life has come!
Look to Christ who condescended,
Took on flesh to ransom us.
Verse 2
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
He the perfect Son of Man,
In His living, in His suffering,
Never trace nor stain of sin.
See the true and better Adam,
Come to save the hell-bound man,
Christ the great and sure fulfillment
Of the law; in Him we stand.
Verse 3
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
Christ the Lord upon the tree.
In the stead of ruined sinners
Hangs the Lamb in victory!
See the price of our redemption,
See the Father’s plan unfold,
Bringing many sons to glory:
Grace unmeasured, love untold!
Verse 4
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
Slain by death, the God of life.
But no grave could e’er restrain Him;
Praise the Lord, He is alive!
What a foretaste of deliv’rance,
How unwavering our hope.
Christ in power resurrected,
As we will be when He comes.
Ending
What a foretaste of deliv’rance,
How unwavering our hope.
Christ in power resurrected,
As we will be when he comes.
Words and Music by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Michael Bleecker
©2012 Bleecker Publishing, Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Love Your Enemies Publishing, McKinney Music, Inc.
Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me
Verse 1
What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to his.
Oh, how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Verse 2
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior he will stay.
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, his power is displayed.
To this I hold: my Shepherd will defend me;
Through the deepest valley he will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Verse 3
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven;
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And he was raised to overthrow the grave.
To this I hold: my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Verse 4
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For he has said that he will bring me home.
And day by day I know he will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus!
All the glory evermore to him!
When the race is complete,
still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Song Ending
When the race is complete,
still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Words and Music by Jenny Robinson, Rich Thompson and Michael Farren
©2018 CityAlight Music, Farren Love And War Publishing, Integrity’s Alleluia! Music
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
Luke 11:1-42 (ESV)
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone
who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Luke 11:1-42 – Walk In the Light – Jonathan Philgreen
Sermon Discipleship Questions
1. What encouraged you?
2. What convicted you?
3. Is there anything in your life that needs to change?
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
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 the same Holy Spirit which was poured out in Acts, guide you this week as you seek to follow God closely and minister to those He brings into your path.