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February 9, 2025
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | 1 Corinthians 8:6 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
6 There is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
*Song of Adoration | Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
/ Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore; /
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
/ Strong Deliverer, be Thou still my Strength and Shield. /
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
/ Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee; /
/ Land me safe on Canaan’s side
Bid my anxious fears, bid my anxious fears
Goodbye, goodbye. /
Goodbye, goodbye.
Music and Lyrics: William Williams, Jeremy Casella
*Confession of Faith | Genesis 1:1-3; John 1:1-4
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
The Book of Genesis
1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The Gospel of John
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
*Song of Confession | Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion –
For more than conqu’rors we are!
Chorus
His Word shall not fail you – He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
/ Chorus /
Music and Lyrics: Helen Howarth Lemmel
Confession of Sin | Kyrie Eleison
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.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Assurance of Pardon | John 3:16 | Rev. 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.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
*Song of Response | How Deep The Father's Love For Us
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give his only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Music and Lyrics: Stuart Townend
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 | Abide With Me
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Colossians 1:15-23 | Dr. Richard Lints
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Dr. Richard Lints
“The Image of the Invisible God”
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 | Dear Refuge Of My Weary Soul
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel
But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee,
Though prostrate in the dust
Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner’s prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet
Music and Lyrics: Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson
Departing Song | Doxology
We begin to end in faith and song.
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.
// Amen //
Music and Lyrics: Thomas Ken
*Benediction | 2 Corinthians 13:14 | Rev. 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.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Women’s Gathering
Tuesday, February 11, 7pm
Join us at the Willson home on February 11 for our next women’s gathering! We will hear from Ann Lints this quarter!
Kids’ Sunday School
Sunday, February 16, 9am
Our spring Sunday school series for kids (K-4th) continues on Sunday, February 16 at 9am!
Youth Bible Study
Sunday, February 16, 9am
Our spring Sunday school series for youth (5th-12th) continues on Sunday, February 16 at 9am!
Bible Studies
Women’s Morning Study: Wednesday, February 12
Our women’s weekly Bible study continues their spring series on Wednesday, February 12. Join us at the home of Marion Wade at 10am!
Women’s Evening Study: Thursday, March 6
Our women’s evening study on Prayer will meet on Thursday, March 6! Join us at the home of Susan Arnoult at 7pm.
Men’s Morning Study: Friday, March 7
Our men’s study on Prayer will meet on Friday, March 7 at 7am at Bean and Bottle! 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100.