Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for May 5, 2024
Pre-service Song
Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul
Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise,
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies.
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone can heal.
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief
For every pain I feel.
But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine;
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline.
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust;
And still my soul would cleave to Thee,
Though prostrate in the dust.
Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No, still the ear of sovereign grace
Attends the mourner’s prayer.
Oh may I ever find access
To breathe my sorrows there.
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat.
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat;
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet.
Words by Anne Steele, Music by Matt Merker
© 2014 Matthew Merker Music; Sovereign Grace Praise
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
Revelation 5:9-13 (ESV)
Come, let us worship the Lord Jesus Christ!
Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain,
and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language
and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom
and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!
Our Sung Call to Worship
Is He Worthy?
Do you feel the world is broken? We do.
Do you feel the shadows deepen? We do.
But do you know that all the dark won’t stop the light from getting through? We do.
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? We do.
Is all creation groaning? It is.
Is a new creation coming? It is.
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? It is.
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? It is.
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave,
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave.
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this? He is!
Does the Father truly love us? He does.
Does the Spirit move among us? He does.
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? He does.
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? He does.
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah, who conquered the grave,
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave.
From every people and tribe, every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God to reign with the Son!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this? He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy? He is!
He is!
By Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive
© 2018 Capitol CMG Genesis; Junkbox Music; Vamos Publishing; Jakedog Music
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Psalm 25:6-8, 11, 16-18 (CSB)
Remember, Lord, your compassion
and your faithful love,
for they have existed from antiquity.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my acts of rebellion;
in keeping with your faithful love, remember me
because of your goodness, Lord.
The Lord is good and upright;
therefore he shows sinners the way.
Lord, for the sake of your name,
forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am alone and afflicted.
The distresses of my heart increase;
bring me out of my sufferings.
Consider my affliction and trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
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
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 Profession of Assurance
Good and Gracious King (Distribution Song)
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
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! (Repeat)
(Chorus )
By Jonny Robinson, James Ferguson and Michael Farren
© 2016 CityAlight Music; Farren Love And War Publishing; Integrity’s Alleluia! Music
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Speak, O Lord
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You,
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness;
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises;
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, ‘til Your church is built,
And the earth is filled with Your glory.
By Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
© 2005 Thankyou 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 16:1-12 (ESV)
1And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he
left them and departed.
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Matthew 16:1-12 – THE Sign – Brian Morgan
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
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 Jonathan Jackson, Eric Schumacher, David Ward
© 2019 Hymnicity
Blessing
Luke 2:29-32 (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 16:13-20