June 4, 2023

*Call to Worship | Hebrews 1:2-3 | Blake Arnoult

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

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2 In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

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*Song of Adoration | All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

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

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All hail the power of Jesus' name!

Let angels prostrate fall.

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all.

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Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,

Ye ransomed from the fall,

Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.

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Let every kindred, every tribe

On this terrestrial ball

To Him all majesty ascribe,

And crown Him Lord of all.

To Him all majesty ascribe,

And crown Him Lord of all.

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O that with yonder sacred throng

We at His feet may fall

We'll join the everlasting song,

And crown Him Lord of all.

We'll join the everlasting song,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Music and Lyrics: Oliver Holden, Edward Perronet, John Rippon

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*Confession of Faith | Heidelberg Catechism Q.1

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

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What is your only comfort in life and death?      

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That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

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*Song of Confession | From The Depths Of Woe  (Psalm 130)

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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From the depths of woe I raise to Thee the voice of lamentation;

Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and hear my supplication;

If Thou iniquities dost mark our secret sins and misdeeds dark,

O who shall stand before Thee? (Who shall stand before Thee?)

O who shall stand before Thee? (Who shall stand before Thee?)

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To wash away the crimson stain, grace, grace alone availeth;

Our works, alas! Are all in vain; in much the best life faileth;

No man can glory in Thy sight, all must alike confess Thy might,

And live alone by mercy (Live alone by mercy)

And live alone by mercy (Live alone by mercy)

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Therefore my trust is in the Lord, and not in mine own merit;

On Him my soul shall rest, His word upholds my fainting spirit;

His promised mercy is my fort, my comfort and my sweet support;

I wait for it with patience (Wait for it with patience)

I wait for it with patience (Wait for it with patience)

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Though great our sins and sore our woes, His grace much more aboundeth;

His helping love no limit knows, our upmost need it soundeth.

Our Shepherd good and true is He, who will at last His Israel free

From all their sin and sorrow (All their sin and sorrow)

From all their sin and sorrow (All their sin and sorrow)

Music and Lyrics: Martin Luther, Richard Massie

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Confession of Sin | 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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O eternal God and merciful Father, we humble ourselves before your great majesty, against which we have frequently and grievously sinned. We acknowledge that we deserve nothing less than eternal death, that we are unclean before you and children of wrath. We continually transgress your commandments, failing to do what you have commanded, and doing that which you have expressly forbidden. We acknowledge our waywardness, and are heartily sorry for all our sins. We are not worthy to be called your children, nor to lift up our eyes heavenward to you in prayer. Nevertheless, O Lord God and gracious Father, we know that your mercy toward those who turn to you is infinite; and so we take courage to call upon you, trusting in our Mediator Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Forgive all our sins for Christ’s sake. Cover us with his innocence and righteousness, for the glory of your name. Deliver our understanding from all blindness, and our hearts from all willfulness and rebellion, we pray through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

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Assurance of Pardon | Psalm 32:1-2 | 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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1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the one against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

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*Song of Response | More Than Enough

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

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All of You is more than enough for all of me,

for every thirst and every need. 

You satisfy me with Your love,

and all I have in You is more than enough.

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You are my supply, my breath of life;

still more awesome than I know.

You are my reward, worth living for;

still more awesome than I know.

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Chorus

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You’re my sacrifice of greatest price;

still more awesome than I know.

You’re my coming King, You are everything;

still more awesome than I know.

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Chorus

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More than all I want, more than all I need,

You are more than enough for me.

More than all I know, more than all I can see,

You are more than enough.

Music and Lyrics: Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio

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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 | Dear Refuge Of My Weary Soul

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

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Dear refuge of my weary soul,

On Thee, when sorrows rise

On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,

My fainting hope relies

To Thee I tell each rising grief,

For Thou alone canst heal

Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,

For every pain I feel

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But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,

I fear to call Thee mine

The springs of comfort seem to fail,

And all my hopes decline

Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?

Thou art my only trust

And still my soul would cleave to Thee,

Though prostrate in the dust

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Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,

And shall I seek in vain?

And can the ear of sovereign grace,

Be deaf when I complain?

No still the ear of sovereign grace,

Attends the mourner’s prayer

Oh may I ever find access,

To breathe my sorrows there

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Thy mercy seat is open still,

Here let my soul retreat

With humble hope attend Thy will,

And wait beneath Thy feet,

Thy mercy seat is open still,

Here let my soul retreat

With humble hope attend Thy will,

And wait beneath Thy feet

Music and Lyrics: Mary Elizabeth Byrne

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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 13:1-7 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

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1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

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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 World with the State”

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 | Come Then, Lord Jesus

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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The Church has waited long, her absent Lord to see.

And still in loneliness she waits, a friendless stranger, she.

Age after age has gone. Sun after sun has set.

And still, in weeds of widowhood, she weeps a mourner yet.

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The serpent's brood increase, the powers of hell grow bold,

The conflicts thicken, faith is low, and love is waxing cold.

How long, O Lord our God, Holy and true and good,

Wilt thou not judge Thy suffering Church, her sighs and tears and blood?

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Come then, Lord Jesus, come

Come then, Lord Jesus

Come then, Lord Jesus, come, come, come.

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We long to hear thy voice, to see Thee face to face,

To share Thy crown and glory then, as now we share Thy grace.

Should not the loving bride, the absent Bridegroom mourn?

Should she not wear the weeds of grief, until her Lord return?

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Chorus

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The whole creation groans, and waits to hear that voice,

That shall restore her comeliness, and make her wastes rejoice.

Come, Lord, and wipe away, the curse, the sin, the stain;

And make this blighted world of ours, Thine own fair world again!

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/Chorus/

Music and Lyrics: Horatius Bonar, Katy Bowser, Kenny Hutson

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Departing Song | Sing To The King

We begin to end in faith and song.

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Sing to the King who is coming to reign.

Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain!

Righteousness, peace then His empire shall bring;

Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.

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Come, let us sing a song,

A song declaring that we belong to Jesus;

He is all we need!

Lift up a heart of praise,

Sing now with voices raised to Jesus;

Sing to the King!

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All shall be well in His kingdom of peace,

Freedom shall flourish and wisdom increase,

Foe shall be friend when His triumph we sing,

Sword shall be sickle when Jesus is King.

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Chorus

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Kingdom of Christ, for thy coming we pray.

Hasten, O Father, the dawn of the day!

With a new song Thy creation shall sing,

Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King!

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Billy Foote, Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, Charles Silvester Horne

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*Benediction | 2 Thessalonians 3:16 | 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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16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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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! Bring your favorite snack or sip to share!

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Cornerstone is updating it’s member directory! 

Members! Please email emily.mcewin@cornerstonehouston.com with a family photo for our member directory! Our goal is to complete the directory this summer!