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February 18, 2024
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Hebrews 10:4-7, 10 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
*Song of Adoration | Hail To The Lord's Anointed
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Hail to the Lord's anointed,
Great David's greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed,
/His reign on earth begun!/
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free;
To take away transgression
And rule in equity.
Chorus
He comes with comfort speedy
To those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying,
Are precious in His sight.
Chorus
He shall come down like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
Spring in His path to birth.
Chorus
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever,
That Name to us is Love.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: James Montgomery, Johann Cruger, William Henry Monk
*Confession of Faith | Romans 5:8; 10:9
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
*Song of Confession | We Lift Our Eyes (Psalm 102)
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
“Mercy, mercy,” we cry out.
Turn an ear, Lord, when we call.
From Heaven’s holy height, look down
To an earth after a fall.
Isn’t it you who has justified?
Hung on a cross for a wicked bride.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes
Isn’t it you who is glorified?
Paid for our sins with a holy price.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes.
Bitter wine and ash for bread.
Are you with us in this place?
Our days, like evening shadows, end.
Have you turned away your face?
Isn’t it you who has justified?
Hung on a cross for a wicked bride.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes
Isn’t it you who is glorified?
Paid for our sins with a holy price.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes.
/ All our days pass away.
But you, O Lord, shall remain. /
Isn’t it you who has justified?
Hung on a cross for a wicked bride.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes
Isn’t it you who is glorified?
Paid for our sins with a holy price.
To you, O Lord, we lift our eyes.
Music and Lyrics: Rivan Bennevendo
Confession of Sin | Colossians 3:5-10
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.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Assurance of Pardon | Colossians 3:1-4 | 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.
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
*Song of Response | All Must Be Well
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Through the love of God our Savior, All will be well
Free and changeless is His favor, All is well
Precious is the blood that healed us
Perfect is the grace that sealed us
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us
All must be well
Though we pass through tribulation, All will be well
Ours is such a full salvation, All is well
Happy still in God confiding
Fruitful if in Christ abiding
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding
All must be well
We expect a bright tomorrow; All will be well
Faith can sing through days of sorrow, All is well
On our Father's love relying
Jesus every need supplying
Yes in living or in dying
All must be well
On our Father's love relying
Jesus every need supplying
Yes in living or in dying
All must be well
Music and Lyrics: Mary Bowly Peters and Matthew S. Smith
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 | Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy my righteousness and freedom
My steadfast love my deep and boundless peace
To this I hold my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to his
Oh how strange and divine I can sing all is mine
Yet not I but through Christ in me
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side the Saviour he will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need his power is displayed
To this I hold my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley he will lead
Oh the night has been won and I shall overcome
Yet not I but through Christ in me
No fate I dread I know I am forgiven
The future sure the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And he was raised to overthrow the grave
To this I hold my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released I can sing I am free
Yet not I but through Christ in me
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For he has said that he will bring me home
And day by day I know he will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne
To this I hold my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to him
When the race is complete still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I but through Christ in me
When the race is complete still my lips shall repeat
/Yet not I but through Christ in me/
Music and Lyrics: Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-14 17-23, 27-29, 35; 16:1 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
15:1 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”
17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has also rejected you from being king.”
27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”
35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Saul’s Rejection, David’s Anointing”
1 and 2 Samuel: Give Us a King
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 Altar
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 | On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand
We begin to end in faith and song.
On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye,
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
I am bound (I am bound),
I am bound (I am bound),
I am bound for the promised land.
All o’er those wide extended plains,
Shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away.
Chorus
No chilling winds nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness, sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more.
Chorus
When shall I reach that happy place,
And be forever blessed?
When shall I see my Father’s face,
And in His bosom rest?
//Chorus//
Music and Lyrics: Christopher Miner, Samuel Stennett
*Benediction | 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 | 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.
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Kid’s Sunday School
Sundays, 9am, February 11 - March 3
Children up to 4th grade are invited to join us for Sunday school at 9am each Sunday to learn classic Bible stories and what they tell us about our Unique God!
Youth Sunday Bible Study
Sundays, 9am, February 11 - March 3
Youth 5th - 12th grade are invited to join us for Bible studyl at 9am each Sunday beginning on February 11 to learn what classic Bible stories have to tell us about our Unique God!
Men’s Gathering - This Week!
Thursday, February 22, 7pm
Men are invited to join us for an evening of fellowship at Kirby Ice House on Thursday, February 22 at 7pm! 3333 Eastside St. 77098.
Youth Gathering - Next Sunday!
Sunday, February 25 11:30am
Cornerstone Youth are invited to join us for lunch and fellowship after the worship service on February 25! Friends welcome! More details to come.
Bible Studies
Women’s Weekly Study: Wednesday, February 21 at 10am
Our weekly women’s study of the Book of Hebrews takes place at 10am on Wednesdays at the home of Marion Wade.
Men’s Morning Study: Friday, March 1
Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100.
Women’s Evening Study: Thursday, March 7
Monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.