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Emily Bailey

Matthew 21:33-22:14 – You’ve Been Invited!

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

Matthew 21:33-46 

  • Landowner = God
  • Vineyard = locus of God’s kingdom
  • Wicked tenants = unbelieving religious leaders 
  • Servants and Son = prophets and Christ 

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

Matthew 21:33-46

  1. God offers us an opportunity to join Him in building His kingdom.
  2. God sets us up with everything we need to join Him in His kingdom work.
  3. God is patient with us even when we reject His plans or become hostile toward Him. 
  4. God’s patience is not infinite and we can all be replaced.
  5. God’s plans and purposes for His kingdom will be accomplished. 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast 

Matthew 22:1-14 

  • The king = God the Father
  • The feast = a celebration of God’s kingdom
  • The son = Jesus, God’s Son
  • Servants = those proclaiming the Gospel invitation
  • Invitees who reject the invite = indifferent or even belligerent unbelievers
  • People on highways = the broader invitation list
  • Man with no wedding clothes = insincere, religious posers
  • Called and Chosen = Gospel is a universal invitation which some receive, others reject

The Parable of the Wedding Feast 

Matthew 22:1-14

  1. The Gospel is an invitation.
  2. Some reject the invitation.
  3. Some accept the invitation. 
  4. Some of those who appear to accept are merely posers/pretenders.

“When Jesus burst on the scene preaching the gospel, He did not come with positive self-talk or an invitation to admit our brokenness. He called the world to repent and believe.” 
– Kevin DeYoung 

“It is not the case that God simply ‘accepts us as we are.’ He invites us as we are; but responding to that invitation always involves the complete transformation which is acted out in repentance, forgiveness, baptism, and receiving the Spirit.” 
– N.T. Wright

“The church — the body of Christ — is the place where God invites us to renew our loves, reorient our desires, and retrain our appetites. Indeed, isn’t the church where we are nourished by the Word, where we ‘eat the Word’ and receive the bread of life? The church is that household where the Spirit feeds us what we need and where, by His grace, we become a people who desire him above all else. Christian worship is the feast where we acquire new hungers — for God and for what God desires — and are then sent into His creation to act accordingly.” 
– James K.A. Smith, You Are What You Love

“Our lifelong nostalgia, our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we now feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen from the outside, is no mere neurotic fancy, but the truest index of our real situation.” 
– C.S. Lewis 

God is still calling; you’ve been invited…How will you respond? 

January 22, 2023

Songs:

“Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord)” by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
© 2020 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Love Your Enemies Publishing, and Messenger Hymns
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Almost Home” by Lauren Papa, Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
© 2021 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Love Your Enemies Publishing, and Messenger Hymns
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Stuart Townend
© 1995 Thankyou Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“His Mercy is More” by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
© 2018 Getty Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Psalm 9

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

The Lord sits enthroned forever. He has established His throne for justice and He judges the world with righteousness; He judges the peoples with uprightness.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble; and those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Amen!

Classic Prayer: Esther DeWaal

Uncrowd our hearts, O God, until silence speaks, in Your still, small voice; turn us from the hearing of words, and the making of words, and the confusion of much speaking, to listening, waiting, stillness, and blessed silence.

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Creed: What is our only hope?

LEADER:  What is your only comfort in life and death?
PEOPLE:  That I am not my own, but belong – body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

LEADER:  What is the chief end of man?
PEOPLE:  Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

LEADER:  What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
PEOPLE:  The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.

SOURCE:  Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1; Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 1 & 2

January 15, 2023

Songs:

“A Mighty Fortress is Our God” words and music by Martin Luther
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“King Forevermore (God the Uncreated One)” by Aaron Keyes & Pete James
© 2016 Getty Music, Thankyou Music and remaining portion is unaffiliated
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Yet Not I, But Through Christ in Me” by Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren & Rich Thompson
© 2018 CityAlight Music and Remaining portion is unaffiliated
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Grace Greater than Our Sin ” words and music by Julia H. Johnston
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Faithfulness of God

ALL:  For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.
MEN:  Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies.
WOMEN:  But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

MEN:  For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
WOMEN:  O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in Your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
MEN:  The LORD is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.

ALL:  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 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, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SOURCE:  excerpts from Psalms 33, 36, 86, 100, 143 and Romans 8

Classic Prayer: Adapted from Valley of Vision

O Savior of sinners, Thy name is excellent, Thy glory high, Thy compassions unfailing. Thy willingness to come down to our simple level from your heavenly rule is too wonderful to express and thy mercy so tender we humbly receive We bless thee for the invitations and promises of the gospel, for in them is pardon for rebels, liberty for captives, salvation for the lost. We bless thee and are blessed by thee through Jesus Christ thy Son.

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Creed: Faithful Father

LEADER:  What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?”

PEOPLE:  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and all that is in them, still upholds and governs them by His eternal counsel and providence. In Him I trust so completely as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul, and will also turn to my good whatever adversity He sends me in this life. He is able to do so as almighty God, and willing also as a faithful Father.

SOURCE:  Heidelberg Catechism, Question 26

Matthew 21:23-32 – The Freedom of Divine Authority

“The ‘elephant in the room’ is a phrase I enjoy, having at different times been either elephant or room. We can lose ourselves in situations or conversations and miss the obvious. We’re looking for someone to save us or a solution to a problem, and they’re right in front of us hiding in plain sight.” 
–  Bono, Surrender:  40 Songs, One Story

“When Jesus had finished speaking these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” 
– Matthew 7:28-29 

“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.” 
– Matthew 27:15-18

“The characteristic of Jesus that left the most lasting impression on His followers and caused the greatest offense to His opponents was His exousia, His sovereign freedom and magisterial authority.” 
– James R. Edwards

The Freedom of Divine Authority

  1. Recognizing Divine Authority
  2. Repudiating Divine Authority
  3. Resisting Divine Authority
  4. Resting in Divine Authority

“Everything God made is designed to confront us with God’s existence and nature and, in so doing, confront our delusions of autonomy and self-sufficiency. Every morning when we get up, we bump into God and come face-to-face with His existence.” 
– Paul David Tripp, Do You Believe?

“All wicked men, though they pretend to be desirous of learning, shut the gate of truth, if they feel it to be opposed to their wicked desires.” 
– John Calvin

“Sin is the desire for the autonomy of man; therefore, in the last resort, it is the denial of God and self-deification; it is getting rid of the Lord God, and the proclamation of self-sovereignty.” 
– Emil Brunner, Dogmatics

“Since we were not created to be autonomous, self-made people but were created to be in communion with God, when the Spirit leads us back into communion with God in Christ, we do not lose our true selves. We regain them.”
– J. Todd Billings, Union with Christ

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
– Matthew 28:18-20

Since God the Father has given all authority in heaven and on earth to Jesus, then Jesus will have the final word on everything, everywhere, for all of time and eternity. 

“In the kingdom of God, the one thing that qualifies you is knowing that you don’t qualify, and the one thing that disqualifies you is thinking that you do.” 
– Dane Ortlund, Surprised by Jesus

January 8, 2023

Songs:

“I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)” by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“May The Peoples Praise You” by David Zimmer, Ed Cash, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend
© 2016 Alletrop Music, Getty Music Publishing & Townend Songs
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“My Redeemer Lives” by Samuel Medley, John C. Hatton & Tom Yarbrough
© 2023 Tom Yarbrough Music/BMI
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” by Robert Robinson
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: A Congregational Prayer

Lord, fill our hearts with reverence for You. Make us hunger for Your Word and passionately desire to walk in Your ways. Forgive us our sins, for they are many. Give us a greater glimpse of Your glory as we offer You this praise and worship. We thank You for the way You have rescued us over and over, through many difficult things. Come now and help us in this: to place our trust, hope, and confidence in You. May Your name be honored in our conduct. May Your kingdom be made visible in our relationships. May Your will be done in our hearts and minds. This we pray in the name above all names, Jesus Christ, to whom belongs all glory, forever and ever. Amen!

Classic Prayer: George Herbert

Blessed be the God of heaven and earth, who only does wondrous things. We praise you! Bless your Word, wherever it is spoken today throughout the church. Make it a word of power and peace, to convert those who are not yet yours, and to confirm those who are. Bless your Word in this your own kingdom, which you have made a land of light, a storehouse of your treasures and mercies. Ride on Lord! Make your Word a swift word, passing from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the life. As the rain returns not empty, so may your Word accomplish that for which it is given. For your blessed Son’s sake, amen.

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Creed: The Apostles’ Creed

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.  He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Matthew 21:1-22 – Waving Palms and Withered Trees

Outline of Matthew’s Gospel:

  1. The Birth of Jesus and Introduction to His Ministry (ch. 1-4)
  2. The Public Ministry of Jesus (ch. 5–16)
  3. The Road to the Cross and the Resurrection (ch. 17-28)

Are you stirred?

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
– Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV)

“You can know the lyric of the gospel but not hear the music.”
– Scotty Smith, Searching for Grace

“Today we want the Kingdom without the King.”
– Mark Sayers, Disappearing Church

I went out walking
Through streets paved with gold
Lifted some stones, saw the skin and bones
Of a city without a soul…

I stopped outside a church house
Where the citizens like to sit
They say they want the kingdom
But they don’t want God in it

– U2 with Johnny Cash, “The Wanderer”

Responses to Jesus in Jerusalem:

  • The indignant religious leaders
  • The wavering crowds
  • The worshiping children

“Jesus came the first time, and He is coming again, as the king over all kings. King of Israel, king of all the nations, king of nature and the universe. Until He comes again, there is a day of amnesty and forgiveness and patience. He still rides a donkey and not yet a white war-horse with a rod of iron. He is ready to save all who receive Him as Savior and Treasure and King. Come to Him. Know Him. Receive Him. Live your life in allegiance to Him.”
– John Piper

January 1, 2023

Songs:

“Holy, Holy, Holy” by John Bacchus Dykes, Reginald Heber
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” by Charles Wesley
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“It is Well with My Soul” by Philip Paul Bliss & Horatio G. Spafford
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“The Lord is My Salvation” by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Nathan Nockles& Jonas Myrin
© 2016 Getty Music Publishing & Sweater Weather Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Be Thou My Vision” by Mary Byrne & Eleanor Henrietta Hull
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Eternal Father

Eternal Father, God of my soul, let my first thought be of You today. Let my first impulse be to worship You. Let my first speech be in praise of Your holy name. Let my first action be to bow my heart, mind and soul before You.

I thank You for Your perfect wisdom and goodness. I thank You for Your steadfast love. I thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who fills my heart with faith and hope.

O God, You have been my refuge in times past; be now my refuge today in every circumstance. Be my guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my guard against all that threatens my spirit’s welfare. Be my strength in times of testing. Gladden my heart with Your peace, that I may sing of my redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen!

Classic Prayer:

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Confession of Sin

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You this day, in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Grant to Your people pardon and peace, that in Your great mercy, we may be forgiven all our sins, and serve You with a quiet and contrite heart. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

John 1:1-18 – Beginning Again

What would it look like to begin every day conscious of the fact that Jesus is the Word, the Life and the Light of God in our lives?

“Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” – John 20:30-31

The 7 “I am” statements of Jesus from John’s gospel:

  • I am the Light of the World – John 8:12
  • I am the Bread of Life – John 6:48
  • I am the Door – John 10:7-9
  • I am the Good Shepherd – John 10:11, 14
  • I am the Resurrection and the Life – John 11:25
  • I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life – John 14:6
  • I am the True Vine – John 15:1

John 1:1-18

ALL:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
MEN:  He was in the beginning with God.
WOMEN:  All things came into being by Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
ALL:  In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shone in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it.
MEN:  There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.  He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through Him.
WOMEN:  He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.  There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
ALL:  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
MEN:  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
WOMEN:  Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
ALL:  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

“The prologue to John’s Gospel must be one of the richest and most poetically potent treatments of any theme within or outside the Bible’s pages, uncurling tentacles of meaning in all directions.” – Christopher Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture

  • Jesus is the Word
  • Jesus is the Life
  • Jesus is the Light

“The Christian gospel is rooted in language:  God spoke a creation into being; our Savior was the Word made flesh.” – Eugene Peterson

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” – John 14:6

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’” – John 8:12

“The emphasis on light in darkness comes from the Christian belief that the world’s hope comes from outside of it… Jesus comes as the Light because we are too spiritually blind to find our own way. Jesus became mortal and died because we are too morally ruined to be pardoned any other way. Jesus gave Himself to us, and so we must give ourselves wholly to Him.” – Tim Keller, Hidden Christmas

“Look up, you whose eyes are fixed on this earth, you who are captivated by the events and changes on the surface of this earth. Look up, you who turned away from heaven to this ground because you had become disillusioned. Look up, you whose eyes are laden with tears, you who mourn the loss of all that the earth has snatched away. Look up, you who cannot lift your eyes because you are so laden with guilt. Look up, your redemption is drawing near.”  – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

December 18, 2022

Songs:

“Angels from the Realms of Glory” words and music by James Montgomery
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” by Charles Wesley and Josh Wicker
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Phillips Brooks & Lewis Henry Redner
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell & Michael Bleeker
© 2012 Dayspring Music, Bleecker Publishing & Centricity Music Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Advent Week Four – Peace

For His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless His people with peace! The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas

Our Father, Your gracious eye has never lost sight of us – your care, protection, and guidance safely anchor us to unshifting ground. But as you know, there so easily remains within our shalom-broken-selves, unrest, an undefinable longing and the peace-thief steals and sets fire to our embers of wellness. We suffer in cycles of grudges and grace famines, critical of others while our own failures extort our peace. And in Advent our Lord, we come and sit quietly before nativities, meditating on the reminder that “Christ has come, Savior of the World – the Prince of Peace”, and the tiny child in the hay-filled manger seems too meek, surrounded by family, stranger and beast, to be one to settle the fevered unrest of our hearts, much less our globe. But for a moment, looking into the scene, we have a glimpse of your perspective Father – big, seeing it all at once, directing the pieces, and you- ONE WITH THE SON! Ah yes, and that is where our knees bend and our heads bow, our arms lift to you! Our peace is not uncertain, but sometimes beyond understanding. It is not meek, but sometimes at work in unexpected ways. It is not the absence of conflict or the resigned tolerance of the way things are, it is a blessed flourishing and wholeness that rearranges the despair laden landscape holding our peace hostage – and quietly, the baby child will become a man …“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” And these words, this promise, sort us again. And again. While your peace blankets us heavily in an uncertain world. AMEN.

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Luke 2:21-38 – The Song of Simeon

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end.”
– Isaiah 9:6-7a

“We can never anticipate Him. He always makes the first move. He is always there ‘in the beginning.’ Before we existed, God took action. Before we decided to look for God, God had already been looking for us. The Bible isn’t about people trying to discover God, but about God reaching out to find us.”
– John Stott, Basic Christianity

Three Advents:

  1. Christ has come
  2. Christ is with us
  3. Christ will come again

“The gospels tell the story in such a way as to hold together the ancient promises and the urgent current context, with Jesus in the middle of it all.” – N.T. Wright, Simply Christian

“The real government of the universe, the final reality which in the end confronts every human being, is the crucified and risen Jesus.” – Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

“God is on the move toward us, not the other way round. In the very midst of our confusion and incapacity, we are met by the oncoming Lord.” – Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ

Four Canticle Portraits by Kim Thomas

The four canticle portraits were originally commissioned in 2016 for the Getty Christmas Tour and used on stages as their backdrop. To communicate an image that would read in a large hall, I simplified the portraits by representing them in linoleum block prints. The context required the artwork be narrow and tall, so with all of these givens, I tried to capture something for each of the four in their faces, as well as show the posture of their heart through their hands.

Simeon’s Song
“Simeon had waited for many years to see the promised Christ child and was a tired old man, thus the many lines and bags under his eyes. Upon seeing the child, his response is folded hands in humility as he speaks a prayer of thanksgiving and peace.”

“Sovereign Lord as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation…”
– Luke 2:29-30 (NIV)

December 11, 2022

Songs:

“O Come, All Ye Faithful” by C. Frederick Oakeley & John Francis
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Angels We Have Heard on High” words & music Traditional French Carol
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“The First Noel” words and music Traditional English
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“What Child is This” words and music by William Chatterton Dix
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Our Great God” by Fernando Ortega & Mac Powell
© 2002 New Spring, Word Music & Dejamesolo Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken & Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Advent Week Three – Hope

Like the shepherds, we wait and watch for the appearing of the mystery of our great Savior – Jesus Christ. O hope of heaven, come to hopeless earth and be found in us today. God has made known the riches of the glory of this mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory. And this God of all hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Christ, the hope of all the earth, the joy of every longing heart, be found in us today.

Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas

We celebrate you Lord Jesus, the HOPE of every nation. Pausing to be enveloped by that hope, Father we gladly set aside the time wasting ways we have hoped, ways that seem silly as we ponder the gift of Christ.

We’ve hoped that situations and circumstances would change, regardless of whether our own hearts have changed, hoped that relationships would be birthed when love and servanthood lay dormant in selfish hollows, hoping for changes in national legislation when locally, we don’t even know our neighbors’ names – so we move ourselves forward, urged by the season to do our part to restore the sinews and strands of hope. And even so, good Father, we acknowledge that our own trying and striving will never be sufficient, and that our hopes can only be met in you, who came, just as it was promised.

We indeed welcome a hope that doesn’t disappoint, that is perfectly invasive and eternally reliable.

Oh come to us, abide with us. Draw us to ponder and return to consider through this week, that our hope is not without promise, because you so loved the world, and sent Jesus the hope of every heart, and every nation, Christ our Savior. Amen.

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December 4, 2022

Songs:

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” words by Charles Wesley and music by Felix Mendelssohn
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Sing We the Song of Emmanuel” by Matt Papa, Aaron Keyes, Luke Brown, Keith Getty & Kristyn Getty
© 2015 Getty Music, Messenger Hymns, Love Your Enemies Publishing & Townend Songs
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” by Charles Wesley and Josh Wicker
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Adore the Humble King” by Matt Papa & Matt Boswell
© 2018 Getty Music, Messenger Hymns, Love Your Enemies Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Praise to the Lord the Almighty” by Joachim Neander & Catherine Winkworth
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Advent Week Two – Joy

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory: glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He has come to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found! Rejoice in the Lord! Again I say, rejoice! This is the day that the Lord has made. My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas

Heavenly Father, The carols and readings have called our hearts to rejoice – for the promised one has come. Our long desired joy, found in the incarnate one, the Word made Flesh.

We are grateful for your blessings in the corners of most genuine delight – relationships, goodness, fittingness, rightness, in the bread and drink, in dance and play, in fulfilling work, and most loudly in choruses of celebration. But in all things and all ways, our joy is made most full because of your saving love and righteousness.

Even though this side of heaven we will still encounter buckets of shared sorrow and suffering, struggle, and failure that leaves us sleepless, and on our knees in fits of shouts then whispers, intervals of restlessness and sudden ceasing supplications, where our delight is hidden by fog and weariness – our joy continues humming through the dirge.

Good father, sustain us with a willing spirit, interludes of jigs and reels, those carols of reminders, and readings of promise for the echo of your life within us. Holy Spirit lead and guide us like the shepherds and wisemen to the star over Bethlehem, that leads all of us to Christ, that we might draw near. In your heavenly name, amen.

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Luke 1:57-79 – Zachariah’s Song: The Symphony of Salvation

“Christmas is the day of songs, for on this day the music of eternity came into time.” – George Eliot, The Christmas Canticles

The 4 Songs of Advent

  • Song of Mary: Luke 1:26-55
  • Song of Zechariah: Luke 1:57-79
  • Song of the angels: Luke 2:1-14
  • Song of Simeon: Luke 2:21-38

Luke 1:5-25; 57-80

  1. Declares the greatness of God
  2. Describes the goodness of God
  3. Delights in the grace of God

“What’s truly amazing about the Christian faith is the idea that the God who made the universe from quarks to galaxies also cares enough about us to be born as a human and to suffer and die to bring forgiveness and new life to broken people.” – Professor Jonathon Feng, Distinguished Professor of Physics & Astronomy at the University of California Irvine

“The greatness of God rouses fear within us, but His goodness encourages us not to be afraid of Him. To fear and not be afraid — that is the paradox of faith.” – A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

“George Buttrick, former chaplain at Harvard, recalls that students would come into his office, plop down on a chair and declare, ‘I don’t believe in God.’ Buttrick would give this disarming reply: ‘Sit down and tell me what kind of God you don’t believe in. I probably don’t believe in that God either.’ And then he would talk about Jesus, the corrective to all our assumptions about God.” – Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

  • Zachariah = Yah remembers
  • Elisabet = God is my oath
  • John = Yah has been gracious

“God regularly works through ordinary people, doing what they normally do, who with a mixture of half-faith and devotion are holding themselves ready for whatever God has in mind.” N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone

“Gospel narratives are telling you not what you should do but what God has done. The birth of the son of God into the world is a gospel, good news, an announcement. You don’t save yourself. God has come to save you.” Tim Keller, Hidden Christmas

Four Canticle Portraits by Kim Thomas

The four canticle portraits were originally commissioned in 2016 for the Getty Christmas Tour and used on stages as their backdrop. To communicate an image that would read in a large hall, I simplified the portraits by representing them in linoleum block prints. The context required the artwork be narrow and tall, so with all of these givens, I tried to capture something for each of the four in their faces, as well as show the posture of their heart through their hands.

Zechariah’s Song
Zechariah is told by an angel that he and his Elizabeth would give birth to a son who would be John the Baptist. When Zechariah responds in doubt because of their aged and barren state, he is struck speechless by the angel Gabriel until the birth of the child. I’ve portrayed Zechariah as surrendering his voice to God by his open mouth and lifted hands.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them.”
– Luke 1:68 (NIV)

November 27, 2022

Songs:

“Go Tell it on the Mountain” words and music by John W. Work
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Angels from the Realms of Glory” words and music by James Montgomery
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell & Michael Bleeker
© 2012 Dayspring Music, Bleecker Publishing & Centricity Music Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Advent Week One – Love

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is love: not that we were good enough, even lovely enough, but that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten, that whoever believes would have life, everlasting life. This is love: God, being rich in mercy, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ—by grace we have been saved. And this is love: love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas

Our Father, yet another collection of dates and commitments have moved the calendar a year forward, and we find ourselves on the doorstep of advent, the season of anticipation – of looking back and looking forward – for the light of the world, the Savior promised, the child in Bethlehem, your Son given and coming.

It is the time we remember you, in fulfillment of the plan of redemption, sending your son into the world – a small expression of humanity in a manger, but who became the greatest expression of love.

In the light of this remembering, we are aware of how we have substituted love of self over love of Christ, making us outsiders when you have invited us in. We haven’t made calves of gold, but choosing self-rule, self-ways, self-priorities is still a form of idolatry and in all truth, the love of Christ has been exactly what we never knew we always wanted.

And You knew this loving Father, you’ve known all along. So you sent the love of Christ – the fulcrum of all history, the starting point of new beginnings for us. The God child in a manger, under a starlit sky, the embodiment of grace and mercy, the vehicle of delivery for the perfect gift of love. The one who would come to love and save us from our sins.

What wondrous love is this oh my soul – oh my soul! Father, that you would bestow such a great love on us, that we could be called the children of God? This is the love of Christ, this is the love we long for, this is the love we are loved with! Gloria in excelsis – DEO! Amen.

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November 20, 2022

Songs:

“All Hail The Power of Jesus’ Name” by Oliver Holden, Edward Perronet & John Rippon
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Pass the Promise” by Kristyn Getty & Sandra McCracken
© 2021 Getty Music Publishing, Integrity Worship, Music Paper News Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“The Lord Almighty Reigns” by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
© 2022 Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Getty Music Publishing, Love Your Enemies Publishing, and Messenger Hymns
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Joy to the World” by George Frideric Handel & Isaac Watts
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Stir Up Sunday

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give You thanks through Jesus Christ, our Lord. When He humbled himself to come among us as a man, He fulfilled the plan You formed long ago and opened for us the way to salvation. Stir up, O Lord, the wills of Your faithful people, that we may bring forth the fruit of good works and so manifest Your glory among all peoples. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas

This day, we pray oh Father, stir us, disturb us, storm on us if necessary, but move us from spiritual apathy to the humbled gratitude, that fuels a life of godliness. By the power of the Holy Spirit – help us to live where love and joy, peace and patience, kindness, goodness become the defining characteristics of our identity, the identity of being IN CHRIST.

Stir us, God, from our places of numbness, sameness, spiritual forgetting – forgetting your faithfulness – startle our unmoved souls that sit in the very presence of your throne room at a loss for the vocabulary of praise. Challenge our complacency. Stir us, shake us from our ambivalence. We are anxious to be revived and reawakened. Do not allow us to sit unmoved in your presence.

Because you bid us come. You, the great and unchanging one, the glory and the lifter of our heads. Stir us, that we may glorify you in every moment and use of our time, that we might live as those redeemed by the precious and costly blood of the Son you sent, born into an unremarkable manger, under a heaven aflame with the news – joy to the world, the Lord has come!

We pray all of this from the windless hollow of our hearts, needing to receive the gusts and torrents of your love. Amen

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Psalm 98 – Stir Us Up

Pastor Jim Thomas

Happy Stir Up Sunday/Joyful Christ the King Sunday!

  • Stir Up Sunday
  • Christ the King Sunday
  • Sunday of Doom

“You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness.” – Augustine

The Psalms serve to:

  1. Stir the emotions
  2. Inform the mind
  3. Direct the will
  4. Stimulate the imagination
  5. Inspire worship

Psalm 98 reminds us that God is our:

  1. Wonderful Savior (v. 1-3)
  2. Mighty King (v. 4-6)
  3. Righteous Judge (v. 7-9)

Psalm 98

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The LORD has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered His love
and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth
have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
Let the sea roar, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for He comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

  1. The scope of His kingdom: all of creation, every nation, the ends of the earth.
  2. The right He has to be king: as Creator, not by seizure or violence.
  3. The nature of His kingship: wonderful, victorious, holy, saving, steadfast in love, righteous, justice.
  4. The duration of His kingship and reign: past, present, future = for all eternity!

“One glimpse of the King and you are consumed by a desire to see more of Him and say more about Him. Pew-warming is no longer an option. Junk religion will no longer suffice. Sensation-seeking is needless. Once you have seen His face you will forever long to see it again.” – Max Lucado, God Came Near

“The tenacity of glory and goodness, even in this shadowed world of tears, trains my eyes to pay attention, to stay alert not only to the darkness of our story, but to the light as well.” – Tish Harrison Warren, Prayer in the Night

“We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.” – John Calvin

“Because in no other person but the historic Jesus of Nazareth has God become man and lived a human life on earth, died to bear the penalty of our sins, and been raised from death and exalted to glory, there is no other Savior, for there is no other person who is qualified to save.” – John Stott, The Authentic Jesus

November 13, 2022

Songs:

“Lift High the Name of Jesus” by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Ed Cash & Fionan De Barra
© 2013 Alletrop Music, DeBarra, Fionan, and Gettymusic
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Come, Thou Almighty King” by Felice de Giardini
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“On Jordan’s Stormy Banks” by Samuel Stennett & Christopher Miner
© 1997 Getty Music Hymns and Songs
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Be Thou My Vision” by Mary Byrne & Eleanor Henrietta Hull
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Now & Forevermore

MEN: The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
WOMEN: We dwell in him and he in us.

MEN: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name! Make known his deeds among the peoples.
WOMEN: We will sing to him, sing praises to him, and speak of all his marvelous works.

ALL: All praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to whom all honor and glory be now and forevermore. Amen!

Classic Prayer: George Herbert

Blessed be the God of heaven and earth, who only does wondrous things. We praise you! Bless your Word, wherever it is spoken today throughout the church. Make it a word of power and peace, to convert those who are not yet yours, and to confirm those who are. Bless your Word in this your own kingdom, which you have made a land of light, a storehouse of your treasures and mercies. Ride on Lord! Make your Word a swift word, passing from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the life. As the rain returns not empty, so may your Word accomplish that for which it is given. For your blessed Son’s sake, amen.

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Creed: Faith in Christ

LEADER: How can we be saved?
PEOPLE: Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in His substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of having disobeyed God, nevertheless, God, without any merit of our own but only by pure grace, imputes to us the perfect righteousness of Christ when we repent and believe in Him.

LEADER: What is faith in Jesus Christ?
PEOPLE: Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the gospel.

Source: New City Catechism, Question 29; Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 86

November 6, 2022

Songs:

“’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” by William J. Kirkpatrick & Louisa R. Stead
Public Domain. Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Goodness of God” by Ed Cash & Jenn Johnson
© 2018 Alletrop Music. Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Jesus Died My Soul to Save” by Matt Boswell & Michael Farren
© 2010 Dayspring Music, Word Music, Pocket Full of Rocks Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” by Elisha Hoffman & Anthony Showalter
Public Domain. Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Hallelujah, What a Savior” by Philip Paul Bliss
Additional lyrics by Tommy Bailey
Public Domain. Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Lord I Need You” by Daniel Carson, Matt Maher, Christy Nockels, Jesse Reeves & Kristian Stanfill
© 2011 worshiptogether.com songs, sixsteps Music, Sweater Weather Music, Valley Of Songs Music, Thankyou Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship

Compose our spirits to a quiet and steady dependence on Your good providence, that we may not be anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, still make known our requests to You, our God.

Help us to pray always and not faint; in everything to give thanks, and offer up the sacrifice of praise continually; to rejoice in hope of your glory; to possess our souls in patience; and to learn in whatsoever state we are, there to be content. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

Classic Prayer: Jonathan Edwards

Almighty God, you are the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty, from you all is perfectly derived, upon you all is most absolutely and perfectly dependent; from you and through you and to you is all being and all perfection; your being and beauty is as it were the sum and comprehension of all existence and excellence, much more than the sun is the fountain and summary comprehension of all light and brightness of the day to you, O God, be all praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength forever and ever. Amen.

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Creed: What are Sacraments?

LEADER: What are the sacraments or ordinances?
PEOPLE: The sacraments or ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ, namely baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are visible signs and seals that we are bound together as a community of faith by His death and resurrection. By our use of them, the Holy Spirit more fully declares and seals the promises of the gospel to us.

LEADER: What is the Lord’s Supper?
PEOPLE: Christ commanded all Christians to eat bread and to drink from the cup in thankful remembrance of Him and His death. The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the presence of God in our midst; bringing us into communion with God and with one another; feeding and nourishing our souls.

Source: New City Catechism, Questions 43 & 46

Confession of Sin

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You this day, in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Grant to Your people pardon and peace, that in Your great mercy, we may be forgiven all our sins, and serve You with a quiet and contrite heart. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Matthew 19 – Rules, Regulations and Redemptive Relationships

Pastor Matt Pierson

Matthew: The King and His Kingdom

  1. We are designed with purpose.
  2. We are reminded how Jesus treats the most vulnerable.
  3. We are invited to follow Jesus, not a set of rules.
  4. We are challenged to lay down whatever lies between us and Jesus.

What did God originally intend when He created marriage?

  • Genesis 1:27 & 2:24
  • One man, one woman, in a complementary, intimate and permanent union, under God’s authority.

“Churches…all regard divorce as something like cutting up a living body, as a kind of surgical operation. Some of them think the operation so violent that it cannot be done at all; others admit it as a desperate remedy in extreme cases. They are all agreed that it is more like having both your legs cut off than it is like dissolving a business partnership or even deserting a regiment.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40

“Difficult though this is, we must remember two things. It is not possible for the ethics of the kingdom to be articulated in anything less than ideal terms. And yet the Lord is consistently compassionate to those who fail, repent, and come back to Him for restoration. This passage follows hard on the heels of one that expresses the unbounded mercy and forgiveness of God. So legalistic rigorism is as inappropriate for the Christian community as is casual divorce.” – Michael Green, The Bible Speaks Today

“When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing, and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” – Henri J. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed Him.” – Matthew 9:9

“And I want you to know, before we go any further, that Jesus came to free you from religion. To those who have been hauling around a long list of rules. To those who are pretending to be more than they really are. To those who are weighed down with the fear and guilt of religion. To all the fans who are worn out on religion, Jesus invites you to follow Him.” – Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus

“The most miserable person in the world is not the person who doesn’t have what he wants, but the person who has what he wants and has found out that it doesn’t make any difference.” – Corrie Ten Boom

“We think that idols are bad things, but that is almost not ever the case. The greater the good, the more likely we are to expect it can satisfy our deepest needs and hopes. Anything can serve as a counterfeit god, especially the very best things in life.” – Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:1-3

“We see Him as the one who heals our hurts and meets our needs. We see Him as the one who takes our sin upon Himself and welcomes us with unimaginable love. We see Him as the one who sees us, even when all others turn away, as the one who welcomes us to learn from Him and pour our meager love out at His feet. We see Him as the one who is the Savior of the world and yet knows us each by name – even if we answer to the most common name in town. We see Him as the one who gathers up our broken hearts and bodies in His arms, and as the only one who has the power to make us whole. We see Him as the one who faced the horror of God’s judgments on the cross, so He could turn His face to us and call us into everlasting life.” – Rebecca McLaughlin, Jesus Through the Eyes of Women

October 30, 2022

Songs:

“I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)” by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Jesus Strong and Kind” by Colin Buchanan, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren & Rich Thompson
© 2019 CityAlight Music, Wanaaring Road Music, and remaining portion is unaffiliated
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners” by John Wilbur Chapman, Rowland Hugh Prichard, and Matthew S. Smith
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Stuart Townend
© 1995 Thankyou Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Lord of All Our Days

O God, You are Lord of all our days and all our nights. Every star in heaven answers Your call and offers their joyful obedience. As we come to worship You today, stir our hearts to respond to You in like manner.

As we end one week and begin another, grant us the peace of knowing we belong to You. Open our eyes to see the security of Your sovereignty and the wonders of Your love.

To Your care we commend our souls. To Your will we bow our own. To Your grace we happily surrender, receiving from You what we have not deserved.

Now we raise our glad hallelujahs! Now we offer You all glory and praise! O Creator God, be blessed to receive our most grateful thanksgivings. Let every heart shout it aloud:  Amen! Amen!

Classic Prayer: William Barclay

O God, our Father, we remember all the failures of today. Forgive us for any promises we broke today, or any resolutions we failed to keep. Forgive us for any friends we failed today, or any people we hurt. Forgive us for any carelessness in our work today, or any neglect of duty. Forgive us for any mean, ungenerous, or dishonorable deed today, for any false, impure, or angry word. O God, our Father, we remember all who have helped us today. We thank Thee for those who helped us with our work, who helped us to resist our temptations. We thank Thee for anyone who gave us a word of thanks, of encouragement, of praise, or of appreciation. We thank Thee for those who sent us happier on our way, because we met them. More than anything else we thank Thee for Jesus, our Savior and our Friend. Grant that we may show our penitence for our failures, and our gratitude for Thy gifts by waking to do better tomorrow, and to walk more closely with Thee. This we ask for Thy love’s sake, AMEN.

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Creed: What is Grace?

LEADER: What is grace?
PEOPLE: Grace is God’s undeserved gift of His love, mercy and help, which He freely offers to us who, because of our sin, deserve only condemnation.

LEADER: For what purpose does God give you grace?
PEOPLE: God gives me grace in Christ for the forgiveness of my sins, redemption from sin’s power, healing of sin’s effects and growth in holiness, to my final transformation into the likeness of Christ.

LEADER: Can you earn God’s grace?
PEOPLE: No. God gives His grace freely and enables me to receive it. Everything I do for God should be in response to His love and grace made known in Christ, for “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” and “we love because He first loved us.”

Source: ACNA, Questions 109, 110 & 111; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:19

Matthew 18:15-35 – Reconciliation, Restoration and Forgiveness

Pastor Jim Thomas

How to Pursue Reconciliation, Restoration and Forgiveness

  1. There must be the context of a loving relationship.
  2. There must be clarity regarding sin.
  3. There must be a personal approach.
  4. When it comes to reconciliation, restoration and forgiveness, Christ is both our means and our model.

“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” – James 5:19-20

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” – C.S. Lewis

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

“God wants and intends the restoration of a lost world to Himself and to its true nature and destiny by breaking down whatever barriers are placed between it and Him, and in Jesus Christ He actually makes this possible.” – Alister McGrath, Studies in Doctrine

“He who seeks revenge digs two graves.” – Chinese Proverb

“When somebody you’ve wronged forgives you, you’re spared the dull and self-diminishing throb of a guilty conscience. When you forgive somebody who has wronged you, you’re spared the dismal corrosion of bitterness and wounded pride. For both parties, forgiveness means the freedom again to be at peace inside their own skins and to be glad in each other’s presence.” – Frederick Buechner

“Nothing moves us to forgive like the wondering knowledge that we ourselves have been forgiven. Nothing proves more clearly that we have been forgiven than our own readiness to forgive.” – John Stott

Matthew 17:22-18:14 – Greatness Redefined

Pastor Tommy Bailey

1. Turn in childlike humility

“Not one of us comes to the Kingdom because we are great. We come because our need is great.” — Albert Mohler

2. Walk in childlike obedience

“Repentance, the first word in Christian immigration, sets us on the way to traveling in the light. It is a rejection that is also an acceptance, a leaving that develops into an arriving, a no to the world that is a yes to God.” — Eugene Peterson, Long Obedience in the Same Direction

“The greatest need of my people is my own holiness.” — Robert Murray M’Cheyne

3. Rest in childlike trust

“Do you find your own heart sensitive to the Lord’s presence, or are you among those who are “samplers” and “nibblers”? God help you if you are, for the child of the King isn’t a sampler and a nibbler—he’s a sheep who loves his Shepherd, and he stays close to his Shepherd. That’s the only safe place for a sheep—at the Shepherd’s side, because the devil doesn’t fear sheep—he fears the Shepherd.” — A.W. Tozer, The Counselor

“Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you—it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you—it is Christ…it is Christ’s blood and merits…We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.” — Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

October 23, 2022

Songs:

“Grace Greater than Our Sin ” words and music by Julia H. Johnston
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“On Christ the Solid Rock” by William Batchelder Bradbury & Edward Mote
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Before the Throne of God Above” by Charitie Lees Bancroft & Vikki Cook
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“His Mercy is More” by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
© 2018 Getty Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Bless the Lord

LEADER:  Bless the Lord at all times; let His praise continually be in your mouth.

PEOPLE:  My tongue shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.

LEADER:  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!

PEOPLE:  We will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done.

ALL:  You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, and there is no God besides You!

Classic Prayer: Cornelius Plantinga

Father God, we have awakened to your new day. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. We turn to you at its threshold because we depend completely on your strength. We have not made ourselves, cannot keep ourselves, could never save ourselves. And so, loving God, we give ourselves to you for this day—our creator, keeper, and Savior. Surely your goodness is beyond all thinking and telling.

O God, in your mercy tend to the church across the world today. Revive us and make us strong, so that we may serve your purposes and add luster to your reputation and bring joy into all the precincts of heaven. We start this day, good God, confessing that we did not make ourselves, cannot keep ourselves, could never save ourselves.  And so, we turn to you—our maker, keeper, and Savior through Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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Creed: This is Our Faith

LEADER:  Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist?
ALL:  We believe and trust in Him.

LEADER:  Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?
ALL:  We believe and trust in Him.

LEADER:  Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God, and makes Christ known in the world?
ALL:  We believe and trust in Him.

LEADER:  This is the faith of the Church.
ALL:  We believe and trust in one God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Source: Adapted from the Athanasian Creed

October 16, 2022

Songs:

“Come, Christians, Join to Sing” by Christian Henry Bateman
Public Domain Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Anchor of Hope” by Brown Bannister & Ellie Holcomb
© 2011 Banistuci Music Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Jesus, Firm Foundation” by Bryan Brown, Jason Ingram & Tony Wood
© 2012 worshiptogether.com songs, All Essential Music, Open Hands Music, So Essential Tunes, Songs from Exit 71
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Mighty to Save” by Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan
© 2006 Hillsong Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

LEADER:  I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!
PEOPLE:  Praise the Lord!  For it is good to sing praises to our God!

LEADER:  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.
PEOPLE:  Blessed is he whose hope is in the Lord, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

LEADER:  The Lord will reign forever:  your God, O Zion, to all generations.
ALL:  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!

Classic Prayer: William Bright

Almighty God, every good prayer comes from you,and you pour out the Spirit of grace and prayer on all who desire it. Deliver us from cold hearts and wandering minds when we draw near you, that with steadfast thoughts and warmed affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Creed: Repentance and Faith

LEADER:  What does it mean to repent?
PEOPLE:  To repent means that I have a change of heart, turning from sin – fully serving myself – to serving God as I follow Jesus Christ. I need God’s help to make this change.

LEADER:  What does it mean to have faith?
PEOPLE:  To have faith means that I believe the Gospel is the truth:  that Jesus died for my sins, rose from the dead, and rules over my life.  Therefore, I entrust myself to Him as my Savior, and I obey Him as my Lord.

LEADER:  What does God grant in your new life in Christ?
PEOPLE:  God grants me reconciliation with Him, forgiveness of my sins, union with Him in Christ, adoption into His family, citizenship in His kingdom, new life in the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternal life.

Source: ACNA: Salvation, Questions 11, 12 & 15

Matthew 17:14-21 – The King in His Power

Pastor Jim Thomas

The King in His Power

  1. The Approaching and Approachable King
  2. The Enemy of the King
  3. The Unbelief at the Center of Every Spiritual Failure
  4. The Trustworthy King

“For all His resplendent glory and dazzling holiness, His supreme uniqueness and otherness, no one in human history has ever been more approachable than Jesus Christ.” – Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly

“Listen up, Christian. You have an implacable enemy whose single objective is to plant a victory flag in the soil of your vanquished faith. He wants to devour you, consume you, and destroy you.” – Brian G. Hedges, Watchfulness

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” – 1 Peter 5:6-10 (NASB)

“Anxiety is only the context for sin, not its cause. Our base problem is unbelief. Failing to trust the infinite God, we live anxiously, restlessly, always trying to secure and extend ourselves with finite goods that can’t take the weight we put on them.” – Cornelius Plantinga, Not The Way It’s Supposed to Be

“Every prayer I have ever prayed, from the most faithful to the least, has been in part a confession uttered in the Gospel of Mark: ‘I believe; help my unbelief.’” – Tish Harrison Warren, Prayer in the Night

“Let’s not trade the glories of the cross for a mess of religious niceties, spiritual ambiguities, and moral uplift. It’s time to tell the old, old story once again – the story of sin atoned for, wrath appeased, heaven secured, and death conquered. No gimmicks, no trinkets, no goofy skits and video clips. The story is good enough all by itself. Let’s just make sure we haven’t lost the plot.” – Kevin DeYoung

“The New Testament writers speak as if Christ’s achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the ‘first fruits,’ the ‘pioneer of life.’ He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the king of death. Everything is different because He has done so. This is the beginning of the new creation; a new chapter in cosmic history has opened.” – C.S. Lewis, Miracles

October 9, 2022

Songs:

“10,000 Reasons” by Jonas Myrin & Matt Redman
© 2011 Thankyou Music, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music, and SHOUT! Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Rejoice” by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Ben Shive, Skye Peterson & Bryan Fowler
© 2022 Getty Music Publishing, Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Junkbox Music, RELWOF, So Essential Tunes
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Chisholm & William M. Runyan
© 1923 Renewed 1951 Hope Publishing Company
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Jesus, Only Jesus” by Christy Nockels, Nathan Nockels, Matt Redman, Kristian Stanfill & Chris Tomlin
© A Thousand Generations Publishing, Worship Together Music, sixsteps Music, Said And Done Music, Thankyou Music & Sweater Weather Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: Psalm 33

ALL: Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to Him with the harp of ten strings!  Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

MEN: For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

WOMEN: By the word of the LORD the heavens were made and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; He puts the deeps in storehouses.

ALL: Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him! For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.

Classic Prayer: Clement of Rome

We beseech You, Master, to be our helper and protector. Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly; Raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly; Restore the wanderers of Your people; Feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners; Raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.

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Creed: Jesus, Seated at the Right Hand of the Father

LEADER:  What does it mean for Jesus to sit at God the Father’s right hand?
PEOPLE:  Ruling with His Father in heaven, Jesus is Lord over the church and all creation, with authority to equip His church, advance His kingdom, bring sinners into saving fellowship with God the Father, and finally establish peace and justice upon the earth.

LEADER:  What does Jesus do for us as He sits at the Father’s right hand?
PEOPLE:  Because Jesus intercedes for us as our great high priest, we may now boldly approach the Father and offer our confessions, praises, thanksgivings, and requests to Him.

Source: ACNA, Questions 73 & 74

Matthew 17:1-13 – A Glimpse of His Glory

Pastor Jim Thomas

A Glimpse of His Glory

  1. The Glory of the Son
  2. The Imprimatur of the Father
  3. The Communion of the Saints: Jesus is the greater Moses and the greater Elijah because Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets
  4. The Response of the New Testament Disciples
    • Following Jesus requires a humble, worshiping faith.
    • Growing in our understanding of Jesus requires an eagerness to learn.

“The Internet is commanding you to click on and sample one thing after another. Living online often means living in a state of diversion. When you’re living in diversion, you’re not actually deeply interested in things; you’re just bored at a more frenetic pace.” – David Brooks, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the majestic glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased” — and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” – 2 Peter 1:16-18

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high…” – Hebrews 1:3

“God is fond of shattering the puny notions we harbor about Him, and the grand delusions we cherish about ourselves. He shatters both simultaneously in His incarnation. For in ironic and astonishing fashion, God brings about reconciliation between God and humanity from the side of God not by repudiating our humanity, but by assuming it.” – John Clark and Marcus Johnson, Center for Pastor Theologians

“The best of humanity are only human at their very best. Patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, fathers, reformers, Puritans – all, all are sinners, who need a Savior: holy, useful, honorable in their place, but sinners after all. They must never be allowed to stand between us and Christ… Let us take heed that we hear His voice and follow Him; let us value all religious teaching just in proportion as it leads us to Jesus. The sum and substance of saving religion is to ‘listen to Christ.’” – J.C. Ryle, Matthew

“Perhaps you find yourself in need of fresh language for attributing greatness, and power, and glory to the God whom you worship in Christ. He is not only great but good — good in His greatness and great in His goodness. He is not only big, strong, imposing, indomitable, omnipotent; He is beautiful, attractive, stunning, compelling, glorious. He is the Majestic One, who delivered Israel at the Sea, and His church at the cross.” – David C. Mathis

“This world is a great sculptor’s shop. We are the statues and there is a rumour going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

October 2, 2022

Songs:

“O Praise the Name (Anástasis)” by Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher & Marty Sampson
© 2015 Hillsong Music Publishing Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“King Forevermore (God the Uncreated One)” by Aaron Keyes & Pete James
© 2016 Getty Music, Thankyou Music and remaining portion is unaffiliated Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Before the Throne of God Above” by Charitie Lees Bancroft & Vikki Cook
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Praise to the Lord the Almighty” by Joachim Neander & Catherine Winkworth
Public Domain Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” by Isaac Watts & Lowell Mason
Public Domain Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“It Was Finished Upon That Cross” by Jonny Robinson, Nigel Hendroff, and Rich Thompson
© 2021 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia and CityAlight Music Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690

Call To Worship: At the Cross

Most merciful God, thank You for sending to us Your Son, Jesus. We remember this day His redeeming death, that we might stand forgiven at the cross.

Thank You for sending to us Your Son, Jesus, to whom we belong, in life and in death. He bore our infirmities and carried our sorrows.

Most holy God, thank You for sending to us Your Son, Jesus, who became sin for us and suffered the punishment due to us, that we might stand forgiven at the cross.

In the name of our Lord Jesus, amen.

Classic Prayer: Johannes Bugenhagen 1485-1558

Lord Jesus Christ, my faithful God and Savior, you have also redeemed me. Because of you, my dearest Lord Jesus Christ, I also have the forgiveness of all my sins, a gracious God and eternal life. Death, devil and hell have no part with me. I am yours, dear Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Do not forsake me, O Lord. O my God, do not be far from me. O God of my salvation, help me against the devil and all evil. Come to me quickly. O Lord, you are my help and comfort forever.

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Creed: Jesus, Who is Worthy

LEADER:  Why do we call Jesus our Lord?
PEOPLE:  Because He has ransomed us, body and soul, from all our sins; not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood, and has freed us from all the power of the devil to make us His own possession.

LEADER:  What does God grant in our new life in Christ?
PEOPLE:  God grants us reconciliation with Him, forgiveness of our sins, union with Him in Christ, adoption into His family, citizenship in His kingdom, new life in the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternal life.

ALL: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Source: Heidelberg Catechism, Question 34; ACNA, Question 15; Revelation 5:12

Confession of Sin

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You this day, in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved You with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name.

Grant to Your people pardon and peace, that in Your great mercy, we may be forgiven all our sins, and serve You with a quiet and contrite heart.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Matthew 16 – A Call to Die

Ryan Motta

Exhortations

  1. We must guard our hearts from the danger of false teachings.
  2. Where Jesus is proclaimed, we cannot lose.
  3. The way we live is by dying.

“The best protection against the darkness of error is the light of truth.” – John Piper

“Nothing can altogether overthrow and destroy the church. Its members may be persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, beaten, beheaded, burned. But the true Church is never altogether extinguished; it rises again from its afflictions; it lives on through fire and water. When crushed in one land, it springs up in another. The Pharaohs, the Herods, the Neros have labored in vain to put down this church. They slay their thousands, and then pass away and go to their own place. The true church outlives them all, and sees them buried each in his turn. The church is an anvil that has broken many a hammer in this world, and will break many a hammer still. The church is a bush which is often burning, and yet is not consumed.” – J.C. Ryle, Principles for Churchmen

“The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with His death — we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow Him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time — death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at His call.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

“Some missionaries bound for Africa were laughed at by the boat captain. ‘You’ll only die over there,’ he said. But a missionary replied, ‘Captain, we died before we started.’” – Vance Havner

Matthew 15:21-39 – Foreshadowing the Future

Pastor Jim Thomas

  1. Jesus breaks all national, racial, religious and social barriers. (v. 21-28)
  2. Crying out for mercy and bowing in humility before God are among the first steps towards entering the kingdom of heaven. (v. 21-28)
  3. Jesus is the Great Reversal Artist. (v. 29-31)
  4. As we follow Jesus, Sunday worship turns into Monday-Saturday serving and feasting at the King’s table. (v. 32-39)

“Contrary to popular belief, Christianity is the most ethnically, culturally, socioeconomically, and racially diverse belief system in all of history.” – Rebecca McLaughlin, Confronting Christianity

“Salvation is bowing and accepting God as Creator and Christ as Savior. I must bow twice to become a Christian. I must bow and acknowledge that I am not autonomous; I am a creature created by the Creator. And I must bow and acknowledge that I am a guilty sinner who needs the finished work of Christ for my salvation.” – Francis Schaeffer, Form and Freedom in the Church/Lausanne Content Library

“The resurrection, the Great Reversal, brings us both the power and the pattern for living life now connected to God’s future new creation.” – Timothy Keller, Hope in Times of Fear

“Only half of the pastor’s work is to gather the people together for worship. The other half is to send them back to their daily tasks equipped to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If we forget this second part, the other can be positively dangerous.” – Lesslie Newbigin

“The way of Jesus cannot be imposed or mapped — it requires an active participation in following Jesus as He leads us through sometimes strange and unfamiliar territory, in circumstances that become clear only in the hesitations and questionings, in the pauses and reflections where we engage in prayerful conversation with one another and with Him.” – Eugene H. Peterson, The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way

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