January 1, 2023

*Call to Worship | Romans 1:16 | Blake Arnoult

God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.

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16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

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*Song of Adoration | Praise To The Lord, The Almighty

We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does. 

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Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;

Praise Him in glad adoration.

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Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,

Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been

Granted in what He ordaineth?

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Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;

Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,

If with His love He befriend thee.

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Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,

Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,

Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,

Saints with His mercy surrounding.

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Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;

Let the Amen sound from His people again,

Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Music and Lyrics: Joachim Neander; Catherine Winkworth, Stralsund Gesangbuch

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*Confession of Faith | Romans 8:35, 37-39

With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.

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35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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*Song of Confession | Abide With Me

Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, abide with me.

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Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;

And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,

Thou hast not left me, though I oft left Thee,

On to the close, Lord, abide with me.

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I need Thy presence every passing hour.

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

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I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness.

Where is thy sting death? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, abide with me.

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Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

Music and Lyrics: Henry Francis Lyte, ‎William Henry Monk

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Confession of Sin | Romans 3:23

We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.

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23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

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Assurance of Pardon | Romans 3:24 | Blake Arnoult

The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.

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24 We are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

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*Song of Response | Jesus Loves Me

We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong. 

They are weak, but He is strong.

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Yes Jesus loves me.

Yes Jesus loves me.

Yes Jesus loves me.

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The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, He who died.

Heaven's gates to open wide.

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

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Chorus

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The Bible tells me so

The Bible tells me so.

Music and Lyrics: Anna Bartlett Warner, William Batchelder Bradbury

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Prayer of Thanksgiving

We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.

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Song of Thanks | Doxology

As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.

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/ Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. /

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// Amen //

Music and Lyrics: Thomas Ken, Thomas Tallis

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Prayer for Christ’s Church

We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.

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*Reading of Scripture | Acts 19:8-41 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.

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8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

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11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

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21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

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23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

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28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

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35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

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Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

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The Preaching of the Word | Blake Arnoult

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“Where Paul is Coming From, An Intro to Romans”

Romans: The Power of God for Salvation

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Pastoral Prayer

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Sacrament of Communion

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.

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You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table. 

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Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution

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Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith: 

People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah! 

Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah! 

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. 

Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.

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Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from  grape juice.

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A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

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Communion Song | All Glory Be To Christ

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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Should nothing of our efforts stand

No legacy survive

Unless the Lord does raise the house

In vain its builders strive

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To you who boast tomorrow's gain

Tell me what is your life

A mist that vanishes at dawn

All glory be to Christ!

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All glory be to Christ our King!

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign we'll ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

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His will be done, His kingdom come

On earth as is above

Who is Himself our daily bread

Praise Him the Lord of love

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Let living water satisfy

The thirsty without price

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

All glory be to Christ!

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Chorus

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When on the day the great I am

The faithful and the true

The Lamb who was for sinners slain

Is making all things new

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Behold our God shall live with us

And be our steadfast light

And we shall ere his people be

All glory be to Christ!

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/ Chorus /

Music and Lyrics: Dustin Kensrue, Robert Burns

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Departing Song | Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)

We begin to end in faith and song.

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You hear me when I call

You are my morning song

Though darkness fills the night

It cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear

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You crush the enemy underneath my feet

You are my sword and shield

Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear

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I know Who goes before me

I know Who stands behind

The God of angel armies is always by my side

The One who reigns forever

He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies is always by my side

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My strength is in Your name

For You alone can save

You will deliver me

Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear

(Whom shall I fear)

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Chorus

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/And nothing formed against me shall stand

You hold the whole world in Your hands

I'm holding on to Your promises

You are faithful

You are faithful/

Music and Lyrics: Scott Cash, Ed Cash, and Chris Tomlin

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*Benediction | Romans 16:20 | Blake Arnoult

God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.

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20 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Youth Teaching Series

Sunday, January 22, 11:30am

All 5th-12th graders are invited to join us at the Willson home directly after the service for our very first lesson of the spring in our youth teaching series! 

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Adult Teaching Series

Thursday, January 26, 7pm

This spring adults will be meeting on Thursday evenings at the Wade home! Join us for our first teaching session on January 26!

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Supper Clubs Begin!

January, February and March 2023

If you signed up for supper clubs this spring, it is time to schedule your first gathering! Get together for a meal or activity and grow closer with your church family! If you need assistance connecting to your supper club, contact Emily McEwin. 

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Bible Studies

Men’s and Women’s spring Bible study dates will be announced soon!

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Spring Calendar is Up!

Check out our spring calendar at cornerstonehouston.com!

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