Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for February 6
Reflection
Oh, that churches would be filled with people longing more for biblical food
than for Sunday-morning cotton-candy entertainment, funny stories, and pithy anecdotes!
May God grant us a Berean appetite for the Scriptures.
Tony Merida
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Sung Call to Worship
The Old Hundredth
All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Serve him with joy, his praises tell,
come now before him and rejoice!
Know that the Lord is God indeed;
he formed us all without our aid.
We are the flock he comes to feed,
the sheep who by his hand were made.
O enter then his gates with joy,
within his courts his praise proclaim.
Let thankful songs your tongues employ.
O bless and magnify his name.
Because the Lord our God is good,
his mercy is forever sure.
His faithfulness at all times stood
and shall from age to age endure.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Text by William Kethe, Tune “Old Hundredth” by Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Let the Nations Be Glad
Verse 1
Let the glory of the Lord forever be our joy,
May redemption be the theme of our song.
For by grace we have been saved,
And by grace we shall proclaim
To the corners of the earth that Christ has come. (Chorus)
Chorus
Let the nations be glad! Let the people rejoice,
For salvation belongs to our God.
Let the whole earth be filled with the praises of the Lord,
For salvation belongs to our God, let the nations be glad.
Verse 2
Through the ages gone before, through the trial and the sword,
Many saints and martyrs conquered, though they died.
Still we holding out the cross,
Crossing oceans suffering loss,
Shall endure all things to win the crown of life. (Chorus)
Verse 3
As Your holy church goes forth in the Holy Spirit’s power,
With the glories of the gospel to explain,
Now we pray Your kingdom come,
And we pray Your will be done,
For the honor and the glory of Your name. (Chorus)
Words and Music by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Aaron Boswell
©2010 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Love Your Enemies Publishing, Curb Dayspring Music
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
O, Lord, our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
we are aware of the sins we have not put to death,
we feel the weakness of our flesh and our need of grace.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
*Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
Lord, deliver us from all pride, vanity, and hypocrisy,
from all envy, hatred, and malice,
from all lack of charity, gossip, and slander.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:*
Lord, deliver us from all disordered desires and sinful affections,
from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:*
Lord, deliver us from disease, sickness, and plague,
from natural disaster, pestilence, and famine,
from conspiracy, rebellion, and violence,
from murder, war, and dying unprepared.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:*
Lord, in our success and in our failure,
in our wealth and in our poverty,
in our living and in our dying,
in our time of tribulation and of poverty,
remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:*
Heavenly Father, we ask all these things
in name of Jesus our Lord and on the basis of
his perfect life—our righteousness;
his death—our sacrifice for sin;
his resurrection—our hope of glory;
his ascension—our intercession.
Through your Holy Spirit, be with us and dwell in us.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ mercy, Lord.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
Time of silent lament, confession, and prayer.
Our Sung Confession
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
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
Reading from Revelation 5:8-14 (CSB)
Hear the good news of a new song sung to Christ, our Savior!
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and you purchased people for God by your blood
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
Amen!
Distribution of elements. Singing of “The Old Rugged Cross”
The Old Rugged Cross
Verse 1
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. (Chorus)
Chorus
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Verse 2
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary. (Chorus)
Verse 3
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me. (Chorus)
Verse 4
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share. (Chorus)
Words and Music by George Bennard
Public Domain
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Singing of “Come, Behold the Wondrous Mystery”
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.
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 17:1-15 (ESV)
1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Acts 17:1-15 – Disciple Making 101 – 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 Holy Spirit empower you
to go out proclaiming the Son
to the glory of our Father in heaven.