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Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for March 21
Reflection
“The mind which asks for a non-miraculous Christianity
is a mind in [the] process of relapsing from Christianity into mere ‘religion.”
C.S. Lewis
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Revelation 11:15, 16 (CSB)
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom
of our Lord and of his Christ
and he will reign forever and ever.
We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty,
who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Verse 1
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own:
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Verse 2
Crown Him the Lord of love;
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight
But downward bends his burning eye
At mysteries so bright.
Verse 3
Crown Him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o’er the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save;
His glories now we sing
Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
Verse 4
Crown Him the Lord of lords,
The Sovereign Lord of time
Creator of the earth and heav’n,
Yet I can call Him mine!
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For Thou hast died for me:
Thy praise and glory shall not fail
Throughout eternity!
Words by Matthew Bridges, Alternate words by Eric Schumacher, Music by George Elvey
Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Adapted from “Precious Blood,” Valley of Vision
Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before your cross we kneel and see
the heinousness of our sin,
our iniquity that caused thee to be ‘made a curse’,
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show us the enormity of our guilt by
the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.
Your blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt
that demands such a price.
Sinners that we are, why should the sun give us light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear our tread,
its fruits nourish us,
its creatures subserve our ends?
Yet your compassions yearn over us,
your heart hastens to our rescue,
your love endured our curse,
your mercy bore our deserved stripes.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted/Kyrie
Verse 1
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
‘Tis the long-expected prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
‘Tis a true and faithful Word.
Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy! Have mercy, Lord.
Verse 2
Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends thro’ fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Christ, have mercy! Christ, have mercy!
Christ, have mercy! Have mercy, Lord.
Verse 3
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See Who bears the awful load!
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.
Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy! Have mercy, Lord.
Verse 4
Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ the Rock of our salvation,
Christ the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.
Words by Thomas Kelly, Music from Geistliches Volkslied
Public Domain
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel & The Lord’s Supper
From Hebrews 2:14-15, 17-18 (CSB); Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV)
There is great hope for those who build their hope
on the Lamb of God!
Since the children have flesh and blood in common,
Jesus also shared in these,
so that through his death he might destroy
the one holding the power of death — that is, the devil —
and free those who were held in slavery
all their lives by the fear of death.
He had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way,
so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest
in matters pertaining to God,
to make atonement for the sins of the people.
What reminder do we have that Jesus atoned for our sin?
We have a meal of bread and wine.
What do these things mean?
They remind us that Jesus was
stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted;
pierced for our transgressions;
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
We eat this bread and remember Jesus’ words:
This is my body given for you.
We drink this cup and remember Jesus’ words:
This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
King of Kings
Verse 1
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light,
Till from Heaven You came running,
There was mercy in Your eyes.
To fulfill the law and prophets,
To a virgin came the Word,
From a throne of endless glory,
To a cradle in the dirt. (Chorus)
Chorus
Praise the Father,
Praise the Son,
Praise the Spirit, three in one.
God of Glory, Majesty,
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Verse 2
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost,
To redeem the whole creation,
You did not despise the cross.
For even in Your suffering,
You saw to the other side.
Knowing this was our salvation,
Jesus, for our sake You died. (Chorus)
Verse 3
And the morning that You rose,
All of heaven held its breath,
Till that stone was moved for good,
For the Lamb had conquered death.
And the dead rose from their tombs,
And the angels stood in awe,
For the souls of all who’d come,
To the Father are restored.
Verse 4
And the Church of Christ was born,
Then the Spirit lit the flame.
Now this Gospel truth of old,
Shall not kneel, shall not faint.
By his blood and in His name,
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ,
Who has resurrected me. (Chorus 2X’s)
Ending
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Words and music by Brooke Ligertwood, Jason Ingram, and Scott Ligertwood
©2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia, Fellow Ships Music, So Essential Tunes
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 two offerings—one for the general fund and a second one for the benevolence ministry of our church.
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
Joshua 10: 1-27 – Reader will only read Joshua 10:1-14
1As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he
feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.” 5 Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands.
Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. 10 And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
12 At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.15 So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.” 20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.”
23 And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Joshua 10:1-27 – The Battle Belongs to the Lord – 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 spoken word.
Blessing
Adapted from Isaiah 54:4-5
Go in peace,
for you will not be ashamed or disgraced.
For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
Next Sunday’s Scripture Passage: Joshua 10:28-11:23