April 9, 2023

*Call to Worship | Luke 24:2-6 | Blake Arnoult

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

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Leader: 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?

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People: 6 He is not here, but has risen.

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*Song of Adoration | Christ the Lord is Risen Today

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

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Christ the Lord is risen today alleluia

Sons of men and angels say alleluia

Raise your joys and triumphs high alleluia

Sing ye heavens and earth reply alleluia

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Lives again our glorious King alleluia

Where O death is now thy sting alleluia

Once he died our souls to save alleluia

Where's thy victory boasting grave alleluia

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Love's redeeming work is done alleluia

Fought the fight the battle won alleluia

Death in vain forbids Him rise alleluia

Christ hath opened paradise alleluia

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Soar we now where Christ has led alleluia

Following our exalted Head alleluia

Made like Him like Him we rise alleluia

Ours the cross the grave the skies alleluia

Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley

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*Confession of Faith | Nicene Creed

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

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We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

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And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

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And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

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*Song of Confession | Jesus Paid it All

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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I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;

Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all.”

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Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

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Lord, now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone,

Can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone.

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Chorus

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And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,

"Jesus died my soul to save" my lips shall still repeat

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Elvina M. Hall

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Confession of Sin | Psalm 88:10-12 and Agnus Dei | Blake Arnoult

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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Lord in heaven,

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10 Do you work wonders for the dead?

Do the departed rise up to praise you?

11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,

or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,

or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

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Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.

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Assurance of Pardon | Romans 8:35-39 | 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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35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36  As it is written, 

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    “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

        we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

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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 Response | Grace Greater than Our Sin

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

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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

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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

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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

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Chorus

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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

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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

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 Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Julia H. Johnston, D. B. Towner

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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 | Come People of the Risen King

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

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Come, people of the Risen King,

Who delight to bring Him praise;

Come all and tune your hearts to sing

To the Morning Star of grace.

From the shifting shadows of the earth

We will lift our eyes to Him,

Where steady arms of mercy reach

To gather children in.

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Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!

One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!

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Come, those whose joy is morning sun,

And those weeping through the night;

Come, those who tell of battles won,

And those struggling in the fight.

For His perfect love will never change,

And His mercies never cease,

But follow us through all our days

With the certain hope of peace.

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Chorus

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Come, young and old from every land -

Men and women of the faith;

Come, those with full or empty hands -

Find the riches of His grace.

Over all the world, His people sing -

Shore to shore we hear them call

The Truth that cries through every age:

 “Our God is all in all”!

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/ Chorus /

Music and Lyrics: Keith Getty, Kristyn Lennox Getty, Stuart Townend

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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 | Romans 8:18-28 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

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18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

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26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

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Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

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The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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“Gospel Freedom From Death for Glory”

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 | How Great Thou Art

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder

Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed

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Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

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And when I think of God, His Son not sparing

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing

He bled and died to take away my sin

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Chorus

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When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation

And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And then proclaim, My God, how great You are!

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Carl Gustav Boberg, Stuart K. Hine

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Departing Song | Because He Lives

We begin to end in faith and song.

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God sent His Son they called Him Jesus

He came to love heal and forgive

He bled and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove

My Savior lives

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Because He lives I can face tomorrow

Because He lives all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives

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How sweet to hold our newborn baby

And feel the pride and joy he gives

But greater still the calm assurance

This child can face uncertain days

Because Christ lives

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And then one day I'll cross that river

I'll fight life's final war with pain

And then as death gives way to vict'ry

I'll see the lights of glory

And I'll know He reigns

Music and Lyrics: Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither

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*Benediction | John 11:25 | 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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25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Nursery Unavailable

April 16

Cornerstone’s nursery will be unavailable next week because we will be worshipping in the lobby.

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Congregational Meeting- Next Week!

Sunday, April 16, directly after the service

Join us directly after next week’s service for a congregational meeting. We encourage all members to attend!

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Sunday School - Resumes Next Week!

Sunday school will resume on April 16!

We are taking a brief break from Sunday school though Easter. Join us again next week every Sunday morning at 9:15am!

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Bible Studies

Women’s Morning Bible Study: 

Wednesday mornings, 9:30am at the Wade home

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Women’s Evening Bible Study: 

Thursday evenings, 7pm at the McEwin home

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Men’s Bible Study: 

Friday mornings, 7am at Buffalo Grille on Voss and Woodway

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Annual Wine Tasting Event!

May 7, 6-8pm

Join us at the home of Jeff and Susan Arnoult for our annual wine tasting event! We’ll enjoy food and fellowship while also learning about wine!

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