Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for August 20, 2023
Pre-service Song
I Love to Tell the Story
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.
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)
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 Hankey, Music by William G. Fischer
©Public Domain
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Psalm 113 (CSB)
Hallelujah!
Give praise, servants of the Lord;
praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of the Lord be praised.
The Lord is exalted above all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God —
the one enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the trash heap
in order to seat them with nobles —
with the nobles of his people.
He gives the childless woman a household,
making her the joyful mother of children.
Hallelujah!
Our Sung Call to Worship
Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
Let us love and sing and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior’s name.
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us with His blood)
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us with His blood)
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us)
He has brought us nigh to God.
Let us love the Lord who bought us,
Pitied us when enemies,
Called us by His grace and taught us,
Gave us ears and gave us eyes.
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us with His blood)
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us with His blood)
He has washed us with His blood, (He has washed us)
He presents our souls to God.
Let us sing though fierce temptation
Threatens hard to bear us down,
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqueror’s crown.
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us with His blood)
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us with His blood)
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us)
Soon will bring us home to God.
Let us wonder grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store.
When through grace in Christ our trust is,
Justice smiles and asks no more.
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us with His blood)
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us with His blood)
He who washed us with His blood, (He who washed us)
Has secured our way to God.
Let us praise and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high.
Here they trusted Him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky.
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood, (Thou hast washed us with His blood)
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood, (Thou hast washed us with His blood)
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood, (Thou hast washed us)
Thou art worthy Lamb of God.
Words and Music by John Newton and Laura Taylor
© 2001 Laura Taylor 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
I Am Ashamed
I used to nurture bitterness,
To count up every slight.
The world’s a moral wilderness,
And I have felt its blight.
Self-pity ruled, resentment reigned,
No one understood my pain.
I spiraled down in murky night,
Insisting that I had the right
To hate and hate again.
I am ashamed, ashamed. O, my Lord, forgive.
But then the gospel taught me how
To contemplate the cross.
For there Christ died for me and now
I’ve glimpsed the bitter cost.
He bore abuse and blows and hate.
He did not retaliate.
Triumphant malice sneered and tossed
Blind rage at Him; He never lost
The love that conquers hate.
I am ashamed, ashamed. O, my Lord, forgive.
To make no threat, to smile, forgive,
To love and not because I must;
For Jesus showed me how to live
And trust the One who’s just.
To suffer wrong and feel the pain,
Certain that the loss is gain.
Oh God, I want so much to trust,
To follow Jesus on the cross:
To love and love again, to love and love again.
I am ashamed, ashamed. O, my Lord, forgive.
I am ashamed, ashamed. O, my Lord, forgive.
Forgive.
Words and Music by Sandra McCracken and D. A. Carson
©2016 Drink Your Tea Music
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Titus 3:3-7 (CSB)
Remember the Gospel!
For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived,
enslaved by various passions and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful, detesting one another.
But when the kindness of God our Savior
and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—
not by works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to his mercy—
through the washing of regeneration
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior so that,
having been justified by his grace,
we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Thank You Jesus for the Blood (Distribution Song)
I was a wretch; I remember who I was.
I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time.
Sin separated, the breach was far too wide,
But from the far side of the chasm,
You held me in your sight.
So you made a way across the great divide,
Left behind heaven’s throne to build it here inside.
There at the cross, You paid the debt I owed.
Broke my chains, freed my soul,
For the first time, I had hope. (Chorus)
Chorus
Thank You, Jesus, for the blood applied.
Thank You, Jesus, it has washed me white.
Thank You, Jesus, You have saved my life,
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light.
You took my place, laid inside my tomb of sin.
You were buried for three days,
But then You walked right out again.
And now death has no sting, and life has no end.
For I have been transformed by the blood of the Lamb. (Chorus)
There is nothing stronger,
than the wonder working power of the blood,
the blood that calls us sons and daughters.
We are ransomed by our Father through the blood, the blood. (2 X’s)
(Chorus)
Glory to His name,
Glory to His name!
There to my heart was the blood applied;
Glory to His name.
Words and Music by Charity Gayle, Ryan Kennedy, David Gentiles, Steve Musso, and Bryan McCleery
Glory to His Name—Words and Music by Elisha Albright Hoffman and John Hart Stockton
© 2021 ComissionMusic; Come Up Kings Publishing; Gather House Music; McCleery MSC; Steven Musso Music; Watershed Worship Publishing
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Good and Gracious King
I approach the throne of glory,
Nothing in my hands I bring
But the promise of acceptance,
From a good and gracious King.
I will give to you my burden
As you give to me your strength.
Come and fill me with Your Spirit
As I sing to you this praise. (Chorus)
Chorus
You deserve the greater glory!
Overcome I lift my voice
To the King in need of nothing,
Empty handed I rejoice.
You deserve the greater glory!
Overcome with joy I sing!
By your love I am accepted.
You’re a good and gracious King.
O, what grace that you would see me
As your child and as your friend.
Safe, secure in you forever,
I pour out my praise again. (Chorus)
Holy, holy, Lord Almighty!
Good and gracious, good and gracious!
Holy, Holy, Lord Almighty!
Good and gracious King! (2 X’s)
(Chorus )
Words and Music by Jonny Robinson, James Ferguson and Michael Farren
© 2016 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 5:33-48 (CSB)
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.
38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 5:22-48 – The Pain of Sanctification – 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
O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me,
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of Thy love;
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To thy glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
Changeth never, nevermore.
How He watches o’er His loved ones,
Died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth,
Watcheth o’er them from the throne!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Love of every love the best!
‘Tis an ocean vast of blessing,
‘Tis a haven sweet of rest.
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.
Words by Samuel Trevor Francis, Music by Thomas John Williams
©Public Domain
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 6:1-18