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May 12, 2024
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Proverbs 9:10 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
Pastor: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
People: And the knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.
*Song of Adoration | Arise O God
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
Arise, O God, and shine in all Thy saving might,
And prosper each design to spread Thy glorious light;
Let healing streams of mercy flow
That all the earth Thy truth may know
Bring distant nations near to sing Thy glorious praise;
Let every people hear and learn Thy holy ways
Reign, mighty God, assert Thy cause,
And govern by Thy righteous laws
Put forth Thy glorious power, that everyone may see
And earth present her store in converts born to Thee
God, our own God, His church will bless,
And fill the world with righteousness
To God, the only Wise, the one immortal King,
Let hallelujahs rise from every living thing;
Let all that breathe, on every coast,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Music and Lyrics: William Hurn, Chris Miner
*Confession of Faith | Psalm 23
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
*Song of Confession | He Will Hold Me Fast
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast.
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold, He must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast; He will hold me fast!
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast!
Those He saves are His delight; Christ will hold me fast.
Precious in His holy sight; He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost, His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.
Chorus
For my life He bled and died; Christ will hold me fast.
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast;
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, when He comes at last!
/Chorus/
He began a work in us…
He’ll complete His work in us…
He will hold us fast; He will hold us fast!
For our Savior loves us so, He will hold us fast!
Music and Lyrics: Matt Merker, Ada Habershon
Confession of Sin
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.
Holy Lord, we are guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find your mind in your word, of neglect to see you in our daily lives. Our violations and shortcomings present our consciences with a long list of accusations, but they shall not stand! For we lay them all now on Christ, our sacrifice and advocate. Come, Lord, subdue our weaknesses, granting us grace to repent of them. Let us not be mastered by them, but now rule over us in liberty and power. We praise and thank you for your wisdom and love, for sometimes putting us into the furnace to refine our gold and remove our dross. Deliver us from every evil habit, everything that dims the brightness of your grace in us, everything that prevents us from taking our deepest delight in you, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 | 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.
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
*Song of Response | My Faith has Found a Resting Place
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out.
Chorus
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s Name,
Salvation through His blood.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Lidie Hornsby Edmunds
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 | Amazing Grace
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun
Music and Lyrics: John Newton
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 17-18, 23-26, 30-34 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
13 And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword…”
17 And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. 18 And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king…
23 And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.
24 And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him...”
30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“The Fleeing of David and the Wisdom of God”
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 | When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Music and Lyrics: Isaac Watts
Departing Song | All Must Be Well
We begin to end in faith and song.
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 /
Music and Lyrics: Mary Bowley-Peters, Matthew S. Smith
*Benediction | 2 Peter 1:2 | 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.
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, May 19
All Cornerstone members are encouraged to join us directly after the worship service for a congregational meeting on May 19 for the nomination of additional officers.
Youth Girls’ Gathering
Sunday, June 2, 11:30am - 1:30pm
Girls 5th-12th grade are invited to the Castaneda home directly after the worship service on June 2 for an afternoon of crafting and fellowship! Lunch will be provided.
Adult Teaching Series
Wednesday, June 5, 7pm
Adults are invited to join us Wednesday, June 5 at the home of Neal and Marion Wade for the first lesson in our 3-part adult teaching series this summer!
Bible Studies
Women’s Evening Study: Thursday, June 6
Monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.
Men’s Morning Study: Friday, June 7
Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100.