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January 8, 2023
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Habakkuk 2:4 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
4 The righteous shall live by faith.
*Song of Adoration | God of Wonders
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Lord of all creation, of water earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle, glory to the Lord on high
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are Holy, Holy
The universe declares your Majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth
Early in the morning, I will celebrate the light
When I stumble in the darkness, I will call your name by night
Chorus
// Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth //
Chorus
/// Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth ///
Music and Lyrics: Marc Byrd, Steve Hindalong
*Confession of Faith | Apostles’ Creed
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell.1
The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic2 church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
1: The phrase "descended into hell" refers to the torments Christ suffered before his death on the cross.
2: The term “catholic” means “universal”, throughout all ages and generations.
*Song of Confession | I Surrender All
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me Jesus take me now
Chorus
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me
Chorus
All to Jesus I surrender
Now I feel the sacred flame
O the joy of full salvation
Glory glory to His name
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Judson Wheeler Van DeVenter, Winfield Scott Weeden
Confession of Sin | Romans 3:10-18
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.
10 None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Assurance of Pardon | Romans 3:22-24 | 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.
22 For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
*Song of Response | Grace Greater Than Our Sin
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold
Threaten the soul with infinite loss
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross
Chorus
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide
Brighter than snow you may be today
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face
Will you this moment His grace receive
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Julia H. Johnston, D. B. Towner
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.
Song of Thanks | Jesus, Thank You
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Chorus
/ Lover of my soul
I want to live for You /
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Pat Sczebel
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Romans 1:1-17 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Blake Arnoult
“The Gospel For Everyone Who Believes”
Romans: The Power of God for Salvation
Pastoral Prayer
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.
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.
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.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution
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.
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.
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.
Communion Song | O Come To The Alter
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Are you hurting and broken within
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin
Jesus is calling
Have you come to the end of yourself
Do you thirst for a drink from the well
Jesus is calling
O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Leave behind your regrets and mistakes
Come today there’s no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy
From the ashes a new life is born
Jesus is calling
/Chorus/
/Oh what a Savior
Isn’t He wonderful
Sing alleluia, Christ is risen
Bow down before Him
For He is Lord of all
Sing alleluia, Christ is risen/
/Chorus/
Bear your cross as you wait for the crown
Tell the world of the treasure you’ve found
Music and Lyrics: Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Wade Joye
Departing Song | Jesus Paid It All
We begin to end in faith and song.
I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all.”
Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone.
Chorus
And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save" my lips shall still repeat
Chorus
/// Oh, praise the One who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead ///
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Elvina M. Hall
*Benediction | 2 Peter 1:2-3 | 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.
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Houston Marathon - Next Week!
Sunday, January 15
The Houston Marathon is next Sunday morning and many streets will be closed throughout Houston. Take a few minutes to plan your route! Information about street closures can be found on the Houston Marathon website.
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!
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!
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.
Bible Studies
Men’s and Women’s spring Bible study dates will be announced soon!