May 21, 2023

*Call to Worship | John 15:13 | Blake Arnoult

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

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13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

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*Song of Adoration | A Debtor to Mercy Alone

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

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A debtor to mercy alone,

Of covenant mercy I sing;

Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on,

My person and offering to bring.

The terrors of law and of God

With me can have nothing to do;

My Savior’s obedience and blood

Hide all my transgressions from view

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The work which His goodness began,

The arm of His strength will complete;

His promise is yea and amen,

And never was forfeited yet.

Things future, nor things that are now,

Not all things below nor above

Can make Him His purpose forego,

Or sever my soul from His love.

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My name from the palms of His hands

Eternity will not erase;

Impressed on His heart it remains

In marks of indelible grace.

Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given

More happy, but not more secure,

The glorified spirits in heaven.

Music and Lyrics: Augustus Toplady, Kevin Twit

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*Confession of Faith | 1 Corinthians 13

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

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1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

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4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became older, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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*Song of Confession | I Boast No More

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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No more, my God, I boast no more

Of all the duties I have done;

I quit the hopes I held before,

To trust the merits of Thy Son

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No more my God, No more my God,

No more my God, I boast no more.

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Now, for the loss I bear His name,

What was my gain I count my loss;

My former pride I call my shame,

And nail my glory to His cross.

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Chorus

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Yes, and I must and will esteem

All things but loss for Jesus’ sake;

O may my soul be found in Him,

And of His righteousness partake!

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The best obedience of my hands

Dares not appear before Thy throne;

But faith can answer Thy demands,

By pleading what my Lord has done.

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Sandra McCracken, Isaac Watts

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Confession of Sin | 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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Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

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

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

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Assurance of Pardon | John 3:16 | 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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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.

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*Song of Response | Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

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

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Come Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

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Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by Thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.

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O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above

Music and Lyrics: Robert Robinson

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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 | Take My Life And Let It Be

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

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Take my life and let it be

consecrated, Lord, to thee.

Take my moments and my days;

let them flow in endless praise,

let them flow in endless praise

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Take my hands and let them move

at the impulse of thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

swift and beautiful for thee,

swift and beautiful for thee.

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Take my voice and let me sing

always, only, for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

filled with messages from thee,

filled with messages from thee.

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Take my silver and my gold;

not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

every power as thou shalt choose,

every power as thou shalt choose.

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Take my will and make it thine;

it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart it is thine own;

it shall be thy royal throne,

it shall be thy royal throne.

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Take my love; my Lord, I pour

at thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be

ever, only, all for thee,

ever, only, all for thee.

Music and Lyrics: Frances R. Havergal

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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 12:1-13 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

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1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

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9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

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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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“Christians in the Church, pt. 2”

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 | Jesus Is Better

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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There is no other so sure and steady, my hope is held in Your hand.

When castles crumble, and breath is fleeting,

Upon this Rock I will stand; Upon this Rock I will stand.

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Glory, glory, we have no other King, but Jesus Lord of all!

Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring; We crown Him Lord of all!

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Your kindly rule has shattered and broken the curse of sin's tyranny.

My life is hidden 'neath Heaven's shadow,

Your crimson flood covers me; Your crimson flood covers me.

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Glory, glory, we have no other King, but Jesus Lord of all!

Raise the anthem, our loudest praises ring; We crown Him Lord of all!

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In all my sorrows, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

In every victory, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

Than any comfort, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

More than all riches, Jesus is better; Make my heart believe.

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Our souls declaring, Jesus is better! Make our hearts believe.

Our song eternal, Jesus is better! Make our hearts believe.

Music and Lyrics: Aaron Ivey, Brett Land

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Departing Song | Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

We begin to end in faith and song.

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What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

leaning on the everlasting arms;

what a blessedness, what a peace is mine,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

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Leaning, leaning,

safe and secure from all alarms;

leaning, leaning,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

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O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,

leaning on the everlasting arms;

O how bright the path grows from day to day,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

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Chorus

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What have I to dread, what have I to fear,

leaning on the everlasting arms?

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: E. A. Hoffman,  Showalter

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*Benediction | Ephesians 6:24 | 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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24 Grace be with all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Escape Room Youth Gathering - today!

May 21, 12:20pm - Escape the Room at CityCentre

All 5th-12th graders are invited to join us on May 21 after the service as we attempt to “escape the room” together! Chaperones will drive the youth to the escape room. Parents, pick up will be at The Escape Game at CityCentre at 1:30pm! 

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Men’s Summer Gathering

Thursday, June 1, 7-9pm

Cornerstone men are invited to gather at the home of Blake Arnoult for a night of grilling and fellowship on Thursday, June 1 at 7pm!

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Women’s Summer Gathering

Friday, June 16, 7-9pm

Cornerstone women will be gathering the evening of June 16 for an exchange of favorite snacks and sips at the Byrd home!

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