Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for September 11, 2022
Reflection
Sometimes we sin so badly, we wonder if trusting God is even possible again.
But God meets us even there.
When our faith crashes and burns, is that the end of everything?
No. It can be a new beginning. Our failure is God’s opportunity.
Ray Ortlund, Jr.
Child Dedication
God has established a testimony in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
He has commanded us to teach our children to love Christ,
that the next generation might know Him
and arise and speak of Him to their children,
so that they should set their hope in Jesus Christ
and not forget the works of God,
but love Him with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.
—Questions for Parents—
Parents, do you commit
to trust God’s promises made to you and your children in His Word,
to seek God and gospel change in the way you live and parent your children,
to teach God’s Word to them and live life in light of the gospel in your home,
to pray for them and teach them to pray, and
to partner with our church by seeking their help and accountability and leading your children to do the same?
—Parents’ Response—
With God’s help, we will
impress on our children what we have heard and known,
teach them to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and
tell of the glorious deeds of the Lord Jesus—
of His perfect life, His death on the cross and of His resurrection from the dead.
—Charge to the Church—
Church, will you commit
to seek God and seek gospel change in the way you live before these children,
to pray for these children to love Jesus and trust in Him,
to teach them the gospel through both your words and your example,
to partner with these parents through both correction and encouragement,
to pray for these parents, and
to walk with them through the joys and trials of parenting?
—Church’s Response—
We, as Christ’s church,
with joy and thanksgiving,
and by God’s help
promise to love, encourage and support you,
as you follow Christ and train your children in the word of God.
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through song.
Our Sung Call to Worship
O My Soul Arise
Verse 1
Arise, my soul arise, shake off your guilty fears.
The bleeding sacrifice on my behalf appears.
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands.
My name is written on His hands.
Verse 2
He ever lives above for me to intercede,
His all redeeming love, His precious blood to plead.
His blood atoned for every race.
His blood atoned for every race
And sprinkles now the throne of grace. (Chorus)
Chorus
O my soul arise, behold the risen Christ,
Your great High Priest, your spotless sacrifice.
O my soul arise, God owns you as His child.
Shake off your guilty fears, my soul, arise.
Verse 3
Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary.
They pour effectual prayers, they strongly plead for me.
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Don’t let that ransomed sinner die.” (Chorus)
Verse 4
My God is reconciled, His pardoning voice I hear.
He owns me as His child, I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw nigh
With confidence I now draw nigh
and “Father, Abba, Father,” I cry. (Chorus)
Words by Charles Wesley, additional words by Eric McAllister, Music by Eric McAllister
©2012 Sovereign Grace Worship
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Adapted from the writings of Bernard of Clairvaux
O Lord, come quickly and reign on Your throne,
for now often something rises up within us
and tries to take possession of Your throne within our hearts.
Pride, covetousness, uncleanness,
and sloth want to be our kings,
and then evil-speaking, anger, hatred,
and the whole train of vices
join in warring against us to reign over us.
Help us to resist them. Give us strength to cry out against them.
Let us declare together, “We have no other king than Christ!”
O King of Peace, come and reign in us,
for we will have no king but You!
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
Adapted from Isaiah 38:16-20
Thank you, Lord, for Your words of hope in the message of Isaiah.
You will restore us and make us live.
You have lovingly delivered our souls
from the pit of corruption;
You have cast all our sins behind Your back
and we, the living, shall praise You.
We will sing songs all the days of our life
in the house of the Lord.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
I Love to Tell the Story
Verse 1
I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love:
I love to tell the story
Because I know ‘tis true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do. (Chorus)
Chorus
I love to tell the story,
‘Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.
Verse 2
I love to tell the story;
‘Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet;
I love to tell the story,
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word. (Chorus)
Verse 3
I love to tell the story;
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it, like the rest:
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long. (Chorus)
Words by Katherine Hanke, Music by William G. Fischer
©Public Domain
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.
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
Isaiah 38:1-22
1In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3 He said, “Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases you.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I am going to add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will rescue you and this city from the grasp of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city. 7 This is the sign to you from the LORD that he will do what he has promised: 8 I am going to make the sun’s shadow that goes down on the stairway of Ahaz go back by ten steps.’” So the sun’s shadow went back the ten steps it had descended.
9 A poem by King Hezekiah of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his illness:
10 I said: In the prime of my life I must go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the rest of my years.
11 I said: I will never see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living; I will not look on humanity any longer with the inhabitants of what is passing away.
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; he cuts me off from the loom. By nightfall you make an end of me.
13 I thought until the morning: He will break all my bones like a lion. By nightfall you make an end of me.
14 I chirp like a swallow or a crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; support me.
15 What can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done it. I walk along slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, by such things people live, and in every one of them my spirit finds life; you have restored me to health and let me live.
17 Indeed, it was for my own well-being that I had such intense bitterness; but your love has delivered me from the Pit of destruction, for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
18 For Sheol cannot thank you; Death cannot praise you. Those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, only the living can thank you, as I do today; a father will make your faithfulness known to children.
20 The LORD is ready to save me; we will play stringed instruments all the days of our lives at the house of the LORD.
21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of pressed figs and apply it to his infected skin, so that he may recover.” 22 And Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD’s temple?”
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Isaiah 38:1-22 – Grace For the Weak – 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
By the grace of Jesus, may you desire true peace
that comes from sins confessed and forgiven
and a heart that is right with God and man.
The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!
Amen!
Scripture text for next Sunday: Isaiah 39:1-8