Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for April 14, 2024
Pre-service Song
There is One Gospel
There is one Gospel on which I stand for all eternity.
It is my story, my Father’s plan, the Son has rescued me.
Oh, what a Gospel, oh what a peace.
My highest joy and my deepest need.
Now and forever, He is my light.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is one Gospel to which I cling, all else I count as loss.
For there, where justice and mercy meet, He saved me on the cross.
No more I boast in what I can bring,
no more I carry the weight of sin.
For He has brought me from death to life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is one Gospel where hope is found, the empty tomb still speaks.
For death could not keep my Saviour down, He lives and I am free.
Now on my Saviour I fix my eyes,
my life is His and His hope is mine.
For He has promised I too, will rise.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And in this Gospel, the church is one, we do not walk alone.
We have His Spirit as we press on to lead us safely home.
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
By Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson
© 2022 CityAlight Music
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11 (ESV)
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear
though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved
into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth,
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery
Come behold the wondrous mystery,
In the dawning of the King.
He, the theme of heaven’s praises,
Robed in frail humanity.
In our longing, in our darkness,
Now the light of life has come;
Look to Christ, who condescended,
Took on flesh to ransom us.
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
He the perfect Son of Man,
In His living, in His suffering,
Never trace nor stain of sin.
See the true and better Adam,
Come to save the hell-bound man;
Christ the great and sure fulfillment
Of the law; in Him we stand.
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
Christ the Lord upon the tree;
In the stead of ruined sinners
Hangs the Lamb in victory.
See the price of our redemption,
See the Father’s plan unfold;
Bringing many sons to glory
Grace unmeasured, love untold!
Come behold the wondrous mystery:
Slain by death the God of life.
But no grave could e’er restrain Him
Praise the Lord, He is alive!
What a foretaste of deliv’rance
How unwavering our hope;
Christ in power resurrected,
As we will be when He comes.
What a foretaste of deliv’rance,
How unwavering our hope;
Christ in power resurrected,
As we will be when He comes.
By Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Michael Bleecker
© 2012 Getty Music Hymns and Songs; Getty Music Publishing; Love Your Enemies Publishing; Bleecker Publishing; McKinney Music, Inc.
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
Not In Me
No list of sins I have not done,
No list of virtues I pursue,
No list of those I am not like,
Can earn myself a place with You.
O God! Be merciful to me—
I am a sinner through and through!
My only hope of righteousness
Is not in me, but only You.
No humble dress, no fervent prayer,
No lifted hands, no tearful song,
No recitation of the truth
Can justify a single wrong.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life,
My debt was paid by Jesus’ death,
My weary load was borne by Him
And He alone can give me rest.
No separation from the world,
No work I do, no gift I give,
Can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands;
I cannot cause my soul to live.
But Jesus died and rose again—
The pow’r of death is overthrown!
My God is merciful to me
And merciful in Christ alone.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life,
My debt was paid by Jesus’ death,
My weary load was borne by Him
And He alone can give me rest.
And He alone can give me rest.
By Eric Schumacher and David L. Ward
© 2012 Hymnicity
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Romans 5:1, 8-11 (CSB)
Remember the Gospel!
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God proves his own love for us
in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
How much more then,
since we have now been justified by his blood,
will we be saved through him from wrath.
For if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
then how much more, having been reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
And not only that, but we also boast in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received this reconciliation.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
There is One Gospel
There is one Gospel on which I stand for all eternity.
It is my story, my Father’s plan, the Son has rescued me.
Oh, what a Gospel, oh what a peace.
My highest joy and my deepest need.
Now and forever, He is my light.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is one Gospel to which I cling, all else I count as loss.
For there, where justice and mercy meet, He saved me on the cross.
No more I boast in what I can bring,
no more I carry the weight of sin.
For He has brought me from death to life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is one Gospel where hope is found, the empty tomb still speaks.
For death could not keep my Saviour down, He lives and I am free.
Now on my Saviour I fix my eyes,
my life is His and His hope is mine.
For He has promised I too, will rise.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And in this Gospel, the church is one, we do not walk alone.
We have His Spirit as we press on to lead us safely home.
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And when in glory still I will sing
of this old story that rescued me.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
By Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson
© 2022 CityAlight 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 15:1-20 (ESV)
1Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone;
they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 15:1-20 (ESV) – The Heart of the Problem – 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
Change My Heart Oh God
Change my heart, oh God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God.
May I be like You. (Repeat)
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Change my heart, oh God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God.
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Change my heart, oh God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God.
May I be like You.
By Eddie Espinosa
© 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing
Blessing
Jude 1:24-25 (CSB)
Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling
and to make you stand in the presence of his glory,
without blemish and with great joy,
to the only God our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, power, and authority
before all time, now and forever.
Amen.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Matthew 15:21-28