Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for September 10, 2023
Pre-service Song
Because He Lives
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He bled and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
(Chorus)
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives!
(Chorus)
And then one day, I’ll cross that river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.
(Chorus)
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
By William Gaither & Gloria Gaither
© 1971 Hanna Street Music
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken & Sung Call to Worship
Psalm 99:1-3; Psalm 150:1-6 (NIV)
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. (repeat)
Great is the LORD
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations. (repeat)
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
Praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
Praise him with the harp and lyre,
Praise him with timbrel and dancing,
Praise him with the strings and pipe,
Praise him with the clash of cymbals,
Praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. (repeat)
Great is the LORD
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations. (repeat)
Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy, he is holy. (repeat 2x’s)
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. (repeat)
Great is the LORD
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations. (repeat)
By Randall Goodgame
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
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed! (Chorus)
Chorus
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy reigns,
Unending love, amazing grace.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures. (Chorus)
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine,
Will be forever mine.
You are forever mine.
Words by John Newton, Louie Giglio, John P. Rees, and Chris Tomlin, Music by Edwin O. Excell and Chris Tomlin
© 2006 Rising Springs Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 (CSB)
Remember the Gospel!
If God is for us, who is against us?
He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.
How will he not also with him grant us everything?
Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?
God is the one who justifies.
Who is the one who condemns?
Christ Jesus is the one who died,
but even more, has been raised;
he also is at the right hand of God
and intercedes for us.
Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
Can affliction or distress or persecution
or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our Sung Assurance
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and pow’r are great
And, armed with cruel hate—
On earth is not His equal.
Did we in our own strength confide
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He!
Lord Sabaoth, His name!
From age to age the same!
And He must win the battle!
And though this world with devils filled
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him!
His rage we can endure
For lo, his doom is sure—
One little word shall fell him!
That word above all earthly pow’rs,
No thanks to them, abideth!
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth!
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill—
God’s truth abideth still!
His kingdom is forever!
By Martin Luther, Translation by Frederick Hedge
©Public Domain
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 6:25-34 (ESV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 6:25-34 – The Heavenly Father’s Provision – 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
Because He Lives
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He bled and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
(Chorus)
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives!
(Chorus)
And then one day, I’ll cross that river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.
(Chorus)
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
By William Gaither & Gloria Gaither
© 1971 Hanna Street Music
Blessing
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV)
Now may the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times in every way.
The Lord be with you all.
Amen.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Matthew 7:1-6