Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for May 8, 2022
Reflection
There are many Christians who have been taught
that once they have faith everything ought to flow smoothly.
Acts replies: you have not yet considered what it means to take up the cross.
If the gospel of Jesus the crucified and risen Messiah means anything at all,
it means that those who carry it will have it branded into their own souls.
N.T. Wright
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalms 36:5-9 (CSB)
Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your judgments like the deepest sea.
How priceless your faithful love is, God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They are filled from the abundance of your house.
You let them drink from your refreshing stream.
For the wellspring of life is with you.
By means of your light we see light.
Our Sung Call to Worship
The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
Verse 1
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me!
Verse 2
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of His love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Thy glorious rest above!
Verse 3
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory,
For it lifts me up to Thee!
Verse 4
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
Changeth never, nevermore!
Words by Samuel Trevor Francis
Music Traditional Gaelic Tune “Morning Has Broken”
©Public Domain
Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul
Verse 1
Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise.
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies.
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal.
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel.
Verse 2
But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine.
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline.
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust.
And still my soul would cleave to Thee,
Though prostrate in the dust.
Verse 3
Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No, still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner’s prayer.
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there.
Verse 4
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat.
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat.
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet.
Words by Anne Steele Music by Matt Merker
©2014 Matthew Merker Music, Sovereign Grace Praise
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Hosea 6:1; prayer by Ambrose (CSB)
Come, let’s return to the Lord.
For he has torn us,
and he will heal us;
he has wounded us,
and he will bind up our wounds.
O Lord, you have mercy upon all—
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me the fire of your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore you,
a heart to delight in you,
to follow and to enjoy you,
for Christ’s sake. Amen.
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
From Romans 8:33-35, 38-39 (CSB)
Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?
God is the one who justifies.
Who is the one who condemns?
Christ Jesus is the one who died,
but even more, has been raised;
he also is at the right hand of God
and intercedes for us.
Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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 holds 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 Boswell, and Matthew Merker
©2020 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Jordan Kauflin Music, Love Your Enemies Publishing, Matthew Merker Music, Messenger Hymns
Almost Home
Verse 1
Don’t drop a single anchor; we’re almost home.
Through ev’ry toil and danger, we’re almost home.
How many pilgrim saints have before us gone?
No stopping now, we’re almost home. (Chorus)
Chorus
Almost home, we’re almost home;
So press on t’ward that blessed shore.
O, praise the Lord, we’re almost home.
Verse 2
That promised land is callin’; we’re almost home.
And not a tear shall fall then, we’re almost home.
Make ready now your soul for that kingdom come.
No turning back, we’re almost home. (Chorus)
Verse 3
This journey ours together, we’re almost home.
Unto that great forever, we’re almost home.
What song anew we’ll sing ‘round that happy throne.
Come faint of heart, we’re almost home. (Chorus)
Verse 4
This life is just a vapor, we’re almost home.
That sun is settin’ yonder, we’re almost home.
Take courage, for this darkness shall break to dawn.
O, lift your eyes; we’re almost home. (Chorus)
Words and music by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell & Lauren Papa
©2021 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty 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 28:1-10 (ESV)
1After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Acts 27:1-28:1-10 – A Steadfast 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.
Blessing
From 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (CSB)
God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,
be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.