Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for April 17, 2002
Reflection
He is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
1 Peter 1:3-4 (CSB)
Hallelujah! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
with increasing volume
He is risen!
He is risen indeed!
He is risen!
He is risen indeed!
He is risen!
He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Our Sung Call to Worship
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Verse 1
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own:
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Verse 2
Crown Him the Lord of love;
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight
But downward bends his burning eye
At mysteries so bright.
Verse 3
Crown Him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o’er the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save;
His glories now we sing
Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
Verse 4
Crown Him the Lord of lords,
The Sovereign Lord of time,
Creator of the earth and heav’n,
Yet I can call Him mine!
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For Thou hast died for me:
Thy praise and glory shall not fail
Throughout eternity!
Words by Matthew Bridges Alternate words by Eric Schumacher Music by George Elvey
©Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Romans 3:10-18 (CSB)
Lord, we confess before you that
there is no one righteous, not even one.
There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
We are sinners.
We are sinners indeed.
All have turned away; all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good, not even one.
Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
We are sinners.
We are sinners indeed.
Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
and the path of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
We are sinners.
We are sinners indeed. Lord, have mercy!
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
Mark 16:1-7; Revelation 5:12; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 (CSB)
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they could go and anoint him.
Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us? ” Looking up, they noticed that the stone — which was very large — had been rolled away.
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen!”
He has risen indeed!
He was delivered up for our trespasses
and raised for our justification.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us observe the feast.
Hallelujah! This is the feast of victory to our Lord!
I Am One of Those (Distribution of the Elements)
Verse 1
I am one of those, at the table not invited,
And to all here at the feast it’s very plain,
I cannot hide in etiquette or conversation,
But Christ himself sent word to me and so I came.
Verse 2
I am one of those who was dead and fully buried,
And I still bear every stigma of decay,
There is no way I can cover what I’ve been through,
‘cause when Jesus called I came out of the grave. (Chorus)
Chorus
Though the world may number me among the foolish,
I think Jesus Christ is all I need to know
Jesus suffered and paid blood to buy the lowest of the low
Hallelujah! Amen! That’s me! I am one of those!
Verse 3
I am one of those, who was a leper and contagious,
The deformities and scars I have today,
Yet while I was vile with sickness Jesus loved me,
And He healed, restored and through and through remade.
Verse 4
I am one of those who was doomed to death in prison,
And I’ve done more evil things than I could say,
But Jesus broke inside and there unlocked my shackles,
And to set me free, he died and took my place. (Chorus)
Verse 5
I am one of those, who was hard to love and ugly,
Self-righteous, critical; religion was my stain.
Then I came to Christ to wash and be discovered,
Jesus came to me and covered up my shame. (Chorus)
Music and Words by Nathan Partain
©Nathan Partain, 2009
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
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
Christ Is All
Verse 1
I’ve found a treasure that can’t be taken;
Found a well that won’t run dry.
O worldly pleasure, be now forsaken;
Behold what love, what life is mine.
Verse 2
Could endless striving now make me righteous?
Could all my works now grant me hope?
Oh, hallelujah! The blood of Jesus—
my only plea, my only boast. (Chorus)
Chorus
Christ is all, Christ is all;
And my song will ever be.
Christ is all, all in all;
And my song will ever be: Christ is all.
Verse 3
And in the trial, when storms are raging;
Though tears may fall, my soul will rise.
For there’s a peace that is mine unchanging;
There is a joy that never dies. (Chorus)
Verse 4
When life is passing and strength is fading,
I’ll see the One that I adore.
Let this world vanish, oh give me Jesus;
My great desire, my true reward. (Chorus)
Words and Music by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell
©2017 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Betty Music Publishing, Love Your Enemies Publishing, Messenger Hymns
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 22:30-23:22 (ESV)
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
23:1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you white-washed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” 10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”
31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Acts 22:30-23:22 – A Courageous Witness for 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 both song and spoken word.
Sending Song
In Christ Alone
Verse 1
In Christ alone, my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
Verse 2
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For every sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
Verse 3
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
Verse 4
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
Ending
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
©2001 Thankyou Music
Blessing
Hebrews 13:20-21 (CSB)
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus — the great Shepherd of the sheep — through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.