Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for July 23, 2023
Pre-service Song
All Sufficient Merit
All sufficient merit shining like the sun.
A fortune I inherit by no work I have done.
My righteousness I forfeit at my Savior’s cross
where all sufficient merit did what I could not.
In love He condescended, eternal now in time.
A life without a blemish the Maker made to die.
The law could never save us, our lawlessness had won
until the pure and spotless Lamb had fin’ly come. (Chorus)
Chorus
It is done, it is finished, no more debt I owe.
Paid in full, all sufficient merit now my own.
I lay down my garments, any empty boasts.
Good works all corrupted by the sinful host.
Dressed in my Lord Jesus, a crimson robe made white.
No more fear of judgment, His righteousness is mine. (Chorus 2 X’s)
All sufficient merit, firm in life and death.
The joy of my salvation shall be my final breath.
And when I stand accepted before the throne of God
I’ll gaze upon my Jesus and thank Him for the cross.
Yes, I’ll thank You for the cross.
(Chorus 2 X’s)
Merit now my own. Merit now my own.
Words and music by Shane Barnard, Bryan Fowler, and Beth Barnard
© 2023 Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs; More Songs From Wellhouse; Songs From Wellhouse
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Psalm 46 (CSB)
God is our refuge and strength,
a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
Therefore we will not be afraid,
though the earth trembles
and the mountains topple
into the depths of the seas,
though its water roars and foams
and the mountains quake with its turmoil.
There is a river — its streams delight the city of God,
the holy dwelling place of the Most High.
God is within her; she will not be toppled.
God will help her when the morning dawns.
Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
the earth melts when he lifts his voice.
The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, see the works of the Lord,
who brings devastation on the earth.
He makes wars cease throughout the earth.
He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;
he sets wagons ablaze.
“Stop fighting, and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death
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.
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)
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 2 X’s)
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
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Psalm 51:1-4, 7-9 (CSB)
Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
Completely wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you—you alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in your sight.
So you are right when you pass sentence;
you are blameless when you judge.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
our crucified and risen Lord. Amen.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
He Will Hold Me Fast
When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold;
He must hold me fast. (Chorus)
Chorus
He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight,
Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in His holy sight,
He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost;
His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost,
He will hold me fast. (Chorus)
For my life He bled and died,
Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied;
He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life,
He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight,
When He comes at last! (Chorus)
Words and Music by Ada Ruth Habeshon and Matthew Merker
© 2013 Getty Music Publishing; Matthew Merker Music
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Galatians 3:10-13; 2:20; 6:14 (CSB)
Remember the Gospel!
All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.” Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because “the righteous will live by faith.”
But the law is not based on faith; instead, “the one who does these things will live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
I have been crucified with Christ,
and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
I will never boast about anything
except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Not What My Hands Have Done (Distribution Song)
Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your pow’r alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely thro’.
I praise the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfalt’ring lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
My Lord has saved my life and freely pardon gives;
I love because He first loved me, I live because He lives.
Words by Horatius Bonar, Music by George Walter Martin
©Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me
What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to his.
Oh, how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior he will stay.
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, his power is displayed.
To this I hold: my Shepherd will defend me;
Through the deepest valley he will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven;
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And he was raised to overthrow the grave.
To this I hold: my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For he has said that he will bring me home.
And day by day I know he will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus!
All the glory evermore to him!
When the race is complete,
still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
When the race is complete,
still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Words and Music by Jenny Robinson, Rich Thompson and Michael Farren
© 2018 CityAlight Music; Farren Love And War Publishing; Integrity’s Alleluia! 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.
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 5:17-20 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB)
Matthew 5:17-20
17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 5:20 – Surpassing Righteousness – 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
All Sufficient Merit
All sufficient merit shining like the sun.
A fortune I inherit by no work I have done.
My righteousness I forfeit at my Savior’s cross
where all sufficient merit did what I could not.
In love He condescended, eternal now in time.
A life without a blemish the Maker made to die.
The law could never save us, our lawlessness had won
until the pure and spotless Lamb had fin’ly come. (Chorus)
Chorus
It is done, it is finished, no more debt I owe.
Paid in full, all sufficient merit now my own.
I lay down my garments, any empty boasts.
Good works all corrupted by the sinful host.
Dressed in my Lord Jesus, a crimson robe made white.
No more fear of judgment, His righteousness is mine. (Chorus 2 X’s)
All sufficient merit, firm in life and death.
The joy of my salvation shall be my final breath.
And when I stand accepted before the throne of God
I’ll gaze upon my Jesus and thank Him for the cross.
Yes, I’ll thank You for the cross.
(Chorus 2 X’s)
Merit now my own. Merit now my own.
Words and music by Shane Barnard, Bryan Fowler, and Beth Barnard
© 2023 Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs; More Songs From Wellhouse; Songs From Wellhouse
Blessing
Luke 2:29 (NIV)
Sovereign Lord,
as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servants in peace.
For our eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Matthew 5:21-26