Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for October 3
Reflection
For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,
to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,
as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16–17
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 121:1-2; 123:1-3; 124:8 (CSB)
I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
I lift my eyes to you,
the one enthroned in heaven.
Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
until he shows us favor.
Show us favor, Lord, show us favor!
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Come Thou Fount
Verse 1
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise:
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Verse 2
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home:
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
Verse 3
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Words by Robert Robinson, Music: Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music
Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Modified from The Worship Sourcebook
Father, we are sorry for the many times we have wandered
and chosen to satisfy our own selfish desires.
Father, we have sinned. Forgive us.
For the times we were unkind and impatient
with those who needed our time and concern.
Father, we have sinned. Forgive us.
For the times we were too weak to stand up for what was right
and allowed others to suffer because of our cowardice.
Father, we have sinned. Forgive us.
For the times we refused to forgive others.
Father, we have sinned. Forgive us.
For the times we put our hope in ourselves,
forgetting all that you are for us in Jesus.
Father, we have sinned. Forgive us.
Time of silent confession.
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel & The Lord’s Supper
From the Heidelberg Catechism (Q/A1)
What is your only comfort in life and death?
That I am not my own, but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.
Distribution of the elements for the Lord’s Supper.
Singing Complete in Thee (see below)
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Complete In Thee
Verse 1
Complete in Thee! No work of mine
Could take, dear Lord, the place of Thine.
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I shall stand complete in Thee!
Chorus
Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified, salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified I too shall be!
Verse 2
Complete in Thee, each want supplied,
And no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, will be,
I ask no more—complete in Thee! (Chorus)
Verse 3
Complete in Thee; no more shall sin,
Which Thou has conquered, reign within.
Thy blood shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand, complete in Thee. (Chorus)
Verse 4
Dear Savior, when, before Thy bar,
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among the chosen I will be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee! (Chorus)
Words by Aaron Wolf and James M. Gray, Music by Ben Nyce
Public Domain
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death
Verse 1
What is our hope in life and death?
Christ alone, Christ alone.
What is our only confidence?
That our souls to him belong.
Who holds our days within his hand?
What comes, apart from his command?
And what will keep us to the end?
The love of Christ, in which we stand. (Chorus)
Chorus
O sing hallelujah!
Our hope springs eternal;
O sing hallelujah!
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.
Verse 2
What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.
Where is his grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer’s blood.
Who hold our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh
Unto the shore, the rock of Christ? (Chorus)
Verse 3
Unto the grave, what will we sing?
“Christ, he lives! Christ, he lives!”
And what reward will heaven bring?
Everlasting life with him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord,
Then sin and death will be destroyed,
And we will feast in endless joy,
When Christ is ours forevermore. (Chorus)
Words and music by Keith Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Bowell, & Matthew Merker
©2020 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Jordan Kauflin Music, Love Your Enemies Publishing, Matthew Merker Music, Messenger Hymns
Christ is Mine Forevermore
Verse 1
Mine are the days that God has numbered;
I was made to walk with Him.
Yet I look for worldly treasure
and forsake the King of kings.
But mine is hope in my Redeemer—
though I fall His love is sure!
For Christ has paid for every failing;
I am His forevermore!
Verse 2
Mine are tears in times of sorrow,
darkness not yet understood.
Through the valley, I must travel
where I see no earthly good.
But mine is peace that flows from heaven
and the strength in times of need.
I know my pain will not be wasted—
Christ completes His work in me.
Verse 3
Mine are days here as a stranger,
pilgrim on a narrow way.
One with Christ, I will encounter
harm and hatred for His name.
But mine is armour for this battle,
strong enough to last the war.
And He has said He will deliver
safely to the golden shore.
Refrain
And mine are keys to Zion city,
where beside the King, I walk.
For there, my heart has found its treasure—
Christ is mine forevermore.
Bridge
Come rejoice now, O my soul,
for His love is my reward!
Fear is gone, and hope is sure—
Christ is mine forevermore. (Repeat)
Ending
And mine are keys to Zion city,
where beside the King, I walk.
For there, my heart has found its treasure—
Christ is mine forevermore.
Music and Words by Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson
©2016 CityAlight 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
Acts 9:32-43 (ESV)
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.
34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Acts 9:32-43 – The Gospel is the Power of God – 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 the Father,
by the indwelling Holy Spirit,
assure you that Jesus heals you,
loves you,
forgives you,
and is with you.
In Christ, we will get up,
and go into the world
to tell everyone about him!
Next week’s scripture passage: Acts 10:1-48