Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for June 25, 2023
Pre-service Song
House of God Forever
God is my shepherd, I won’t be wanting, I won’t be wanting.
He makes me rest in fields of green, with quiet streams.
Even though I walk through the valley of death and dying,
I will not fear ‘cause You are with me, You are with me. (Chorus)
Chorus
Your shepherd’s staff comforts me.
You are my feast in the presence of enemies.
Surely goodness will follow me,
follow me in the house of God, forever.
God is my shepherd. I won’t be wanting, I won’t be wanting.
He makes me rest in fields of green, by quiet streams.
Even while I’m walking through the valley of death and dying,
I will not fear ‘cause You are with me,
You’re always with me. (Chorus)
In the house of God forever, in the house of God forever.
Words and music by Jon Foreman
©2008 Rubadub Rublishing Publishing
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Revelation 7:10, 12; 15:3-4 (CSB)
Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength
be to our God forever and ever.
Great and awe-inspiring are your works,
Lord God, the Almighty;
just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
Lord, who will not fear
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you
because your righteous acts
have been revealed.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Resurrection Hymn
See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave clothes, tomb filled with light,
as the angels announce “Christ is risen!”
See God’s salvation plan, wrought in love,
born in pain, paid in sacrifice,
fulfilled in Christ the Man, for He lives:
Christ is risen from the dead.
See, Mary weeping, “Where is He laid?”
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb.
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It’s the Master, the Lord, raised to live again!
The voice that spans the years, speaking life,
stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
will sound till He appears, for He lives:
Christ is risen from the dead.
One with the Father, Ancient of Days
through the Spirit Who clothes faith with certainty.
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
to the King crowned with pow’r and authority.
And we are raised with Him; Death is dead,
life has won, Christ has conquered.
And we shall reign with Him, for He lives:
Christ is risen from the dead.
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
©2003 Thankyou Music
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Psalm 32:3-6 (CSB) + Traditional Confession
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was drained
as in the summer’s heat.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole hearts;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We justly deserve your present and eternal punishment.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways
to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
‘Tis the long-expected prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
By His Son God now has spoken,
‘Tis the true and faithful Word.
Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See Who bears the awful load!
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.
Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ the Rock of our salvation,
His the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.
Words by Thomas Kelly, Music from Geistliches Volkslied
© Public Domain
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Colossians 2:13-15; 2 Corinthians 2:14
Remember the Gospel!
When you were dead in trespasses
and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he made you alive with him
and forgave us all our trespasses.
He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations,
that was against us and opposed to us,
and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities
and disgraced them publicly;
he triumphed over them in him.
Thanks be to God, who always leads us
in Christ’s triumphal procession!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
The Sands of Time Are Sinking (Distribution)
The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for, the fair sweet morn awakes;
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
The King there in his beauty, without a veil is seen;
It were a well spent journey though sev’n deaths lay between;
The Lamb with his fair army doth on Mount Zion stand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
O Christ, he is the fountain, the deep, deep well of love;
The streams on earth I’ve tasted, more deep I’ll drink above;
There to an ocean fullness his mercy doth expand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove;
and always dews of sorrow were lustred with his love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided, I’ll bless the heart that planned,
when throned where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Oh! I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor, vile sinner into his “house of wine;”
I stand upon his merit, I know no other stand,
not e’en where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
The bride eyes not her garments but her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of Grace:
Not at the crown he giveth, but on his pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.
Words and Music by Anne Ross Cousin and Connie Dever
©Words: Public Domain, Music: 2014 Sovereign Grace Worship, Dever, Constance
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Jesus, My Sovereign. Jesus, My Friend.
My sins are many, from God I’ve fled.
Though hell-deserving, I have no dread.
My debt is canceled and death is dead—
For Christ, in dying, has crushed its head.
My flesh is groaning to be set free.
Though pain engulfs me, I still believe.
My life is certain; this is my plea—
If Christ is risen, he will raise me. (Chorus)
Chorus
Christ is my death. Christ is my life.
In Jesus, I’m buried. In Jesus, I rise.
He is my present. He is my end.
Jesus, my sovereign. Jesus, my friend.
My friends betray me, I am disowned.
Though all reject me, I’m not alone.
My Friend and Sovereign sits on the throne—
Yes, Christ my Savior, made me his own. (Chorus)
My life is fading, the end draws near.
Though death approaches, I have no fear.
My hope is certain, so I have cheer—
The day is coming when Christ appears! (Chorus)
Jesus my Sovereign, Jesus my friend.
Words and Music by Eric Schumacher and Ashley Hoobler
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 a Mission Moment to highlight the different missions giving
opportunities we have at Grand. Members are encouraged to give to GABC Missions to support these missions.
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
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 5:10-12 – Poured Out (Part Four): The Joy of Persecution – 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
Almost Home
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.
That promised land is callin’; we’re almost home.
And not a tear shall fall then, we’re almost home.
Make ready now your souls for that kingdom come.
No turning back, we’re almost home. (Chorus)
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)
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 2 X’s)
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
Blessing
2 Corinthians 13:13 (CSB)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Amen.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Matthew 5:13-16