Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for September 25, 2022
Reflection
God has not abandoned you. Your best days are still ahead.
God has a purpose of grace for you better than ever.
He is coming to save you. Believe it, and let this hope fill your sails.
Ray Ortlund, Jr.
(On Isaiah 40:1-11)
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From the writings of James Smith (1802—1862)
Who is it we have come to worship today?
It is the Lord Almighty, the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy!
It is he whom the angels obey, the seraphim adore,
and all creation glorifies!
It is the Lord, who is so great,
that we have no adequate conception of His greatness!
It is he who is so good that it is impossible fully
to set forth His goodness!
It is he who is so glorious,
that no sinner can see His face and live!
It is he who created all things with His Word!
It is he who governs all things by His wisdom!
It is he who upholds all things by His power!
It is he whose resources are infinite!
It is he whose compassion is exquisite!
It is he whose patience is without limit!
Come! Let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!
Our Sung Call to Worship
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Verse 1
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O, my soul, praise Him for He is thy health and salvation.
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near.
Praise Him in glad adoration.
Verse 2
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth;.
Hast thou not seen, how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Verse 3
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee.
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Verse 4
Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen, sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Tag
Let the Amen, sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Words by Joachim Neander, translated by Catherine Winkworth, Music: Stralsund Gesanguch
©Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Adapted from the writings of James Smith (1802—1862)
Apart from Christ, what is our moral condition?
Our hearts are deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked.
Our carnal minds are at enmity with God.
We are full of evil principles and evil passions.
We have become not only unprofitable but abominable.
We fell from the state in which
our good and glorious Creator placed us.
Apart from Christ, we were dreadfully depraved
and enemies of God.
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 the writings of James Smith (1802—1862)
Because of God’s great mercy through Jesus’ death,
burial and resurrection on behalf of all believers,
what will renewed man be?
“Beloved, now we are the sons of God,
and it does not yet appear what we shall be,
but when he shall appear we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is!”
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined what God
has prepared for those who love him!”
Renewed, we will be like Jesus!
We will be with God and shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of our heavenly Father.
We will see, hear, know, possess, and enjoy
all that we can possibly desire,
all that our glorified nature will be capable of.
We will be more than unfallen Adam was,
more than angels are—
for we will be as much like God
as perfected human nature can be made like the Divine!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
There is One Gospel
Verse 1
There is one Gospel on which I stand for all eternity.
It is my story, my Father’s plan, the Son has rescued me.
Oh, what a Gospel, oh what a peace.
My highest joy and my deepest need.
Now and forever, He is my light.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Verse 2
There is one Gospel to which I cling, all else I count as loss.
For there, where justice and mercy meet, He saved me on the cross.
No more I boast in what I can bring,
no more I carry the weight of sin.
For He has brought me from death to life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Verse 3
There is one Gospel where hope is found, the empty tomb still speaks.
For death could not keep my Saviour down, He lives and I am free.
Now on my Saviour I fix my eyes,
my life is His and His hope is mine.
For He has promised I too will rise.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Verse 4
And in this Gospel, the church is one, we do not walk alone.
We have His Spirit as we press on to lead us safely home.
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ending
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Words and Music by Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson
©2022 CityAlight Music
God is For Us
Verse 1
We won’t fear the battle, we won’t fear the night.
We will walk the valley with You by our side.
You will go before us, You will lead the way.
We have found a refuge, only You can save. (Chorus)
Chorus
Sing with joy now, “Our God is for us.”
The Father’s love is a strong and mighty fortress.
Raise your voice now, no love is greater.
Who can stand against us if our God is for us.
Verse 2
Even when I stumble, even when I fall.
Even when I turn back, still Your love is sure.
You will not abandon, You will not forsake.
You will cheer me onward with never-ending grace. (Chorus)
Bridge
Neither height or depth can separate us,
hell and death will not defeat us.
He who gave His son to free us
holds me in His love. (Repeat)
Chorus (2 X’s)
Ending
Who can stand against us if our God is for us.
Words and Music by James Ferguson, James Tealy, Jesse Reeves, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson, and Tiarne Tranter
©2018 CityAlight Music, Farren Love And War Publishing, Integrity’s Alleluia! Music, BEC Worship, My Eleiht Songs, WriterWrong 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.
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 40:1-11(CSB)
1“Be silent before me, coasts and islands!
And let peoples renew their strength.
Let them approach; let them testify;
let’s come together for the trial.
2 Who has stirred up someone from the east?
In righteousness he calls him to serve.
The LORD hands nations over to him,
and he subdues kings.
He makes them like dust with his sword,
like wind-driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursues them, going on safely,
hardly touching the path with his feet.
4 Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I am the LORD, the first
and with the last—I am he.”
5 The coasts and islands see and are afraid,
the whole earth trembles.
They approach and arrive.
6 Each one helps the other,
and says to another, “Take courage!”
7 The craftsman encourages the metalworker;
the one who flattens with the hammer
encourages the one who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good.”
He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.
8 But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
descendant of Abraham, my friend—
9 I brought you from the ends of the earth
and called you from its farthest corners.
I said to you: You are my servant;
I have chosen you; I haven’t rejected you.
10 Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.
11 Be sure that all who are enraged against you
will be ashamed and disgraced;
those who contend with you
will become as nothing and will perish.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Isaiah 40:1-11 (CSB) – The King is Our Comforter – 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 Word that has been preached to you today
in liturgy, song, and sermon
take root and yield a greater love and obedience
to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Isaiah 40:12-31