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August 6, 2023
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Revelation 15:2-3 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!”
*Song of Adoration | Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
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.
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.
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
*Confession of Faith | Job 1:21
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
*Song of Confession | Gracious God
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Gracious God, great is our sin
But Holy Lord Great is Your love
The burden’s too heavy to carry
The pain is too real to hide
The sin is too deep to undo
Lord hear our cry
Forgive what our lips tremble to name
And take what our hearts can no longer bear
Chorus
Lord grant us grace to be more like you
Through Jesus Christ, the light of the world
Chorus
// Set us free from a past we can’t change
Lord grant us grace
Give us a future where we can be changed
Lord grant us grace //
Gracious God, great is our sin
But Holy Lord Great is Your love
Chorus
The burden’s too heavy to carry
It burns like a fire inside
The judgement is too much to bear
Lord hear our cry
Music and Lyrics: Rivan Bennevendo
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.
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | Psalm 23:4 | 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.
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.
*Song of Response | More Love to Thee
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love (more love) More love (more love), More love to Thee,
More love (more love), more love (more love), to Thee!
Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love (more love), more love (more love), more love to Thee!
More love (more love), more love (more love), to Thee
Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love (more love), More love (more love), more love to Thee!
More love (more love), More love (more love), more love to Thee!
More love (more love), More love (more love) to Thee
Music and Lyrics: Kevin Twit, Elizabeth Prentiss
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 | My Faith Has Found a Resting Place
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
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: E. E. Hewitt
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Lamentations 1:18; 2:8, 17; 3:19-24, 40-41, 55, 58; 5:19-22 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1:18 The LORD is in the right,
for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
and see my suffering;
my young women and my young men
have gone into captivity.
2:8 The LORD determined to lay in ruins
the wall of the daughter of Zion;
he stretched out the measuring line;
he did not restrain his hand from destroying;
he caused rampart and wall to lament;
they languished together.
17 The LORD has done what he purposed;
he has carried out his word,
which he commanded long ago;
he has thrown down without pity;
he has made the enemy rejoice over you
and exalted the might of your foes.
3:19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
40 Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the LORD!
41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
55 “I called on your name, O LORD,
from the depths of the pit;
58 “You have taken up my cause, O Lord;
you have redeemed my life.
5:19 But you, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures to all generations.
20 Why do you forget us forever,
why do you forsake us for so many days?
21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored!
Renew our days as of old—
22 unless you have utterly rejected us,
and you remain exceedingly angry with us.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Lamentations, The Fall of Israel”
Lamentations: Christ in the Old Testament
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 | Heal Us, Emmanuel
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Heal us, Emmanuel, here we are
We long to feel Thy touch
Deep wounded souls to Thee we fly
O Savior hear our cry
Our faith is feeble, we confess.
We faintly trust Thy Word.
But, will You pity us the less?
Be that far from You Lord!
Chorus
Remember him who once applied,
With trembling for relief.
“Lord, I believe,” with tears he cried,
“O help my unbelief!"
Chorus
She, too, who touched you in the press,
And healing virtue stole,
Was answered, “Daughter, go in peace;
Thy faith has made thee whole.”
Chorus
Like her, with hopes and fears we come,
To touch You if we may.
O, send us not despairing home;
Send none unhealed away!
//Chorus//
Music and Lyrics: William Cowper, Kevin Twit, Lucas Morton
Departing Song | The Old Rugged Cross
We begin to end in faith and song.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff'ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross.
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Oh that old rugged cross, so despised by the world.
Has a wondrous attraction for me,
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Chorus
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see.
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
Chorus
To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear,
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: George Bennard
*Benediction | Psalm 23:5-6 | 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.
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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Supper clubs will be starting again this fall! Scan the QR code, email emily.mcewin@cornerstonehouston, or sign up through our weekly email if you would like to participate!
Beginning August 23, September 1, and September 7
Bible studies for men and women are beginning soon!
Women’s Morning Study: Weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30am beginning August 23 at the Wade home
Men’s Morning Study: Monthly on the first Friday of each month, beginning on September 1 at 7am. Location to be announced soon!
Women’s Evening Study: Monthly at 7pm on the first Thursday of each month, beginning on September 7 at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult
Beginning September 10 at 9am
Pre-K through 12th grades are invited to join us for Sunday school for an 8-week study in Eschatology! Children and youth will gather separately for age-appropriate lessons.
Women’s Retreat - Save the Date!
Saturday, October 21
More information to come!
Sunday, August 27, 11:30am-1:30pm
Everyone is invited to join us at the Byrd home on August 27 for our annual fall gathering! This is a BYOB event. Lunch will be provided!
Cornerstone’s 5th Anniversary Celebration
Friday, September 15, 7-9pm
Cornerstone is celebrating it’s 5th year anniversary this September! Adults are invited to the home of Blake and Ryan Arnoult to celebrate 5 years of ministry and fellowship!
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!