Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for October 24
Reflection
“The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me,
yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.
This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time.
It undermines both swaggering and sniveling.
I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone.
I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.”
Timothy Keller
Timothy Keller (2008). “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism”, p.179, Penguin
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 27:1-6
The Lord is my light and our salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
Though wars may rise against me, of this I shall be confident.
One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek;
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.
Men:
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;
He shall hide me in the secret place of His tabernacle;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
Women:
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord!
All:
We will sing! Yes! We will sing praises to the Lord!
Our Sung Call to Worship
We Stand And Worship
Verse 1
Father, You dwell in heaven.
All in your presence is pure and holy.
Father, who can approach You
Unless he goes through the King of Glory? (Chorus)
Chorus
We stand and worship not by our feeble merit,
Our flesh could never bear the weight of glory,
We stand and worship only because we’re hiding
Inside the righteous life of Christ our King.
Verse 2
Jesus, condemned and risen,
In You we have been completely pardoned.
Jesus, you represent us
Now in the presence of Your Father. (Chorus)
Verse 3
Spirit, You dwell within us;
Speak and convince us of what Christ has done.
Spirit, give us the faith to draw near to Him
Who calls us his daughters and sons. (Chorus)
(Chorus)
Words and Music by Jeff Bourque and Eric Schumacher
©2013 Hymnicity
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
From Psalm 27:7, The Valley of Vision
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me and answer me!
For I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;
My lips are ready to confess, but my heart is slow to feel;
I am reluctant to change my ways but I bring my soul to Thee;
Break it, wound it, bend it, mold it.
Grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard,
That evil paths are wretched paths,
That to depart from Thee is to lose all good.
For my sins I mourn, lament, and cry to You for pardon.
Grant that through the tears of repentance
I may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the saving cross.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me and answer me!
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
By Grace Alone
Verse 1
Out of the depths I cry to You,
Lord, hear my voice of pleading;
Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,
Your humble servant heeding.
If you remember each misdeed,
And of each thought and word take heed,
Who can remain before You;
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Verse 2
Your pardon is a gift of love,
Your grace alone must save us,
Our works will not remove our guilt,
The strictest life would fail us.
Let none in deeds or merits boast,
But let us own the Holy Ghost
For He alone can change us:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Verse 3
Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
Who will set all His people free
From all their sin and sorrow:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Words by Martin Luther and David Ward Music by David Ward.
©2002 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 Valley of Vision
The Son of God and Son of Man came in the flesh, suffered, rose and ascended for our sake!
His departure wasn’t a permanent separation,
but a pledge of His return. His Word, promises,
and sacraments remind us of His death until He comes again.
That day holds no terrors for those who have been
Redeemed by His death,
Filled with His Spirit,
Animated by His love,
And who are governed by His Word.
We trust You, Lord, and You do not betray our trust;
We wait for You and we do not wait in vain.
He IS coming to raise our bodies from the dust,
and to reunite it to our souls.
This mighty work of power has been done
because of His infinite love for us, His bride.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Keep us in the faith and ever looking for Your return.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Is He Worthy?
Verse 1
Do you feel the world is broken? We do.
Do you feel the shadows deepen? We do.
But do you know that all the dark won’t stop
the light from getting through? We do.
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? We do.
Verse 2
Is all creation groaning? It is.
Is a new creation coming? It is.
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? It is.
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? It is.
Chorus
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave,
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died
to ransom the slave.
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this? He is!
Verse 3
Does the Father truly love us? He does.
Does the Spirit move among us? He does.
And does Jesus our Messiah hold forever those He loves? He does.
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? He does.
Chorus
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah, who conquered the grave,
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died
to ransom the slave.
From every people and tribe,
every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and
priests to God
To reign with the Son!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is!
He is!
Music and Words by Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive
©2018 Capitol CMG Genesis, Junkbox Music, Vamos Publishing, Jakedog Music
Jesus Paid It All
Verse 1
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.” (Chorus)
Chorus
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Verse 2
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone. (Chorus)
Verse 3
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb. (Chorus)
Verse 4
And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat. (Chorus)
Words by Elvina M. Hall, Music by John T. Grape
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
Philippians 1:27-2:11 (ESV)
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but
emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Philippians 1:27-2:11 – Stand. Strive. Together. Without fear. – Jonathan Philgreen
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 Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.
Amen.