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February 23, 2025
Resources and content for this Sunday.
Order Of Worship
February 23, 2025
*Call to Worship | Revelation 5:9 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
*Song of Adoration | Holy, Holy, Holy
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty
God in three persons Blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee
Who wert and art and ever more shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
All thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Music and Lyrics: John B. Dykes, Reginald Herber, Keith Green
*Confession of Faith | John 16:33-17:5
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
*Song of Confession | Jesus I Come
Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward forever on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Music and Lyrics: Greg Thompson, WilliamSleeper
Confession of Sin | based on Colossians 3:5-13
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.
God, our Father, help us to put to death what is earthly in us: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these your wrath is coming. In these we too once walked, when we were living in them. But now we must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from our mouths. We must not lie to one another, seeing that we have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of you, our Creator. Here, in your church, there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Help us to put on as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven me, so I also must forgive.
Assurance of Pardon | Titus 2:14 | 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.
Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.
*Song of Response | Great Is Thy Faithfulness
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Chorus
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: John Bacchus Dykes and Reginald Heber
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 | Rock of Ages
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s commands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Music and Lyrics: Augustus Montague Toplady, Thomas Hastings
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Ephesians 1:1-14 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“To the Church in Ephesus”
Ephesians: The Gospel of the Church
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 | Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Come boldly to the throne of grace
Ye wretched sinners come
And lay your load at Jesus' feet
And plead what He has done
"How can I come?" some soul may say
"I'm lame and cannot walk
My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth
I sign but dare not talk"
He makes the dead to hear His voice
He makes the blind to see
The sinner lost He came to save
And set the prisoner free
Come boldly to the throne of grace
Though lost and blind and lame
Jehovah is the sinner's Friend
And ever was the same
Poor bankrupt souls who feel and know
The hell of sin within
Come boldly to the throne of grace
The Lord will take you in
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: D. Herbert, Brian T. Murphy, Clint Wells
Departing Song | All I Have is Christ
We begin to end in faith and song.
All I Have is Christ
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still
But as I ran my hell bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace!
Hallelujah all I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life
Now Lord I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
O Father use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: William M. Runyan
*Benediction | Romans 8:16-17 | 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.
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Kids’ Sunday School
Sunday, February 23, 9am
Our spring Sunday school series for kids (K-4th) continues on Sunday, February 23 at 9am.
Youth Bible Study
Sunday, February 23, 9am
Our spring Sunday school series for youth (5th-12th) continues on Sunday, February 23 at 9am.
Palm Sunday Potluck
Sunday, April 13, 4pm
Join us for our annual Palm Sunday Potluck at the Byrd home from 4-6pm on Sunday, April 13. Kids, bring a basket for the Easter egg hunt. Adults, bring your favorite beverage. Friends are welcome!
Bible Studies
Women’s Weekly Study
Wednesday, February 26
Our women’s weekly study will meet on Wednesday, February 26. Join us at the home of Marion Wade at 10am.
Women’s Monthly 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.