Service Preview for September 3, 2023

Service Preview for September 3, 2023

Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for September 3, 2023

Pre-service Song
O, Christ, My Life

My treasure lies in heaven,
Beyond this mortal veil,
Where death can never ruin,
Where foes cannot assail;
Secured through all the ages
By a covenant of love,
A fount of endless riches
Awaiting me above.

My peace and consolation
Will carry through the night;
It rests on the foundation
Of a gracious sacrifice.
My once-forsaken savior
Has tasted every grief;
The One who knows my weakness
Now runs to my relief. (Chorus)

Chorus
O Christ, my life,
My joy, my prize,
My soul will hide
In you, O Christ, my life.

My shield and my defender
From all that haunts my soul
Has faced my condemnation
And paid my debt in full.
Though death and hell assailed him
They could not overcome
So when my strength shall fail me
The vict’ry will be won. (Chorus)

My pardon, my salvation,
My righteousness, my life,
My hope of resurrection,
Is found alone in Christ.
No power can condemn me
For he was crucified;
Since I have died with Jesus
With him, I shall arise! (Chorus)

By Johnathan Jackson, Eric Schumacher, David Ward
©Hymnicity

Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Call to Worship
Psalm 147:1-5, 7, 10-12 (CSB)

Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;
he gathers Israel’s exiled people.
He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.

Our Lord is great, vast in power;
his understanding is infinite.
The Lord helps the oppressed
but brings the wicked to the ground.

He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
he does not value the power of a warrior.
The Lord values those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his faithful love.

Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!
Hallelujah!

Our Sung Call to Worship
Praise to the Lord the Almighty

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.

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?

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.

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.

Words by Joachim Neander; translated by Catherine Winkworth. Music by Stralsund Gesanguch.
©Public Domain

Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Confession
2 Corinthians 6:16b–7:1 (CSB)

Hear the word of the Lord:

“What agreement does the temple of God have with idols?
For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord;
do not touch any unclean thing,
and I will welcome you.
And I will be a Father to you,
and you will be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.

So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us
cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit,
bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

Forgive our sins, Father, for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ,
and cleanse us from every impurity of the flesh and spirit
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.

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
Christ is Mine Forevermore (Distribution Song)

Mine are the days that God has numbered;
I was made to walk with Him.
Yet I look for worldly treasure
and forsake the King of kings.
But mine is hope in my Redeemer—
though I fall His love is sure!
For Christ has paid for every failing;
I am His forevermore!

Mine are tears in times of sorrow,
darkness not yet understood.
Through the valley, I must travel
where I see no earthly good.
But mine is peace that flows from heaven
and the strength in times of need.
I know my pain will not be wasted—
Christ completes His work in me.

Mine are days here as a stranger,
pilgrim on a narrow way.
One with Christ, I will encounter
harm and hatred for His name.
But mine is armour for this battle,
strong enough to last the war.
And He has said He will deliver
safely to the golden shore.

And mine are keys to Zion city,
where beside the King, I walk.
For there, my heart has found its treasure—
Christ is mine forevermore.

Come rejoice now, O my soul,
for His love is my reward!
Fear is gone, and hope is sure—
Christ is mine forevermore. (Repeat)

And mine are keys to Zion city,
where beside the King, I walk.
For there, my heart has found its treasure—
Christ is mine forevermore.

By Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson
© 2016 CityAlight Music

Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. (Chorus)

Chorus
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary. (Chorus)

In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
Such a wondrous beauty I see;
For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me. (Chorus)

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share. (Chorus)

By George Bennard
©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 6:19-24 (CSB)

19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, since either
he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Sermon
Matthew 6:19-24 – The Treasure of Your Heart – 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 Christ My Life

My treasure lies in heaven,
Beyond this mortal veil,
Where death can never ruin,
Where foes cannot assail;
Secured through all the ages
By a covenant of love,
A fount of endless riches
Awaiting me above.

My peace and consolation
Will carry through the night;
It rests on the foundation
Of a gracious sacrifice.
My once-forsaken savior
Has tasted every grief;
The One who knows my weakness
Now runs to my relief. (Chorus)

Chorus
O Christ, my life,
My joy, my prize,
My soul will hide
In you, O Christ, my life.

My shield and my defender
From all that haunts my soul
Has faced my condemnation
And paid my debt in full.
Though death and hell assailed him
They could not overcome
So when my strength shall fail me
The vict’ry will be won. (Chorus)

My pardon, my salvation,
My righteousness, my life,
My hope of resurrection,
Is found alone in Christ.
No power can condemn me
For he was crucified;
Since I have died with Jesus
With him, I shall arise! (Chorus)

By Johnathan Jackson, Eric Schumacher, David Ward
©Hymnicity

Blessing – The Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Words by Thomas Ken, Music by Louis Bourgeois
©Public Domain

Scripture text for next Sunday: Matthew 6:25-34