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August 13, 2023
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
Pastor: The Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
People: Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
All: For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
*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 | Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.1
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
Leader: What is the chief end of man?
People: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
*Song of Confession | Jesus Cast a Look on Me
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Jesus cast a look on me, give me sweet simplicity
Make me poor and keep me low, seeking only Thee to know
All that feeds my busy pride, cast it evermore aside
Bid my will to Thine submit, lay me humbly at Thy feet
Make me like a little child, of my strength and wisdom spoiled
Seeing only in Thy light, walking only in Thy might
Leaning on Thy loving breast, where a weary soul can rest
Feeling well the peace of God, flowing from His precious blood
In this posture let me live, and hosannas daily give
In this temper let me die, and hosannas ever cry!
Music and Lyrics: John Berridge, Matthew Perryman Jones
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.
Most holy and merciful Father; we acknowledge and confess before you our sinful nature prone to evil and slothful in good; and all our shortcomings and offenses. You alone know how often we have sinned; in wandering from your ways; in wasting your gifts; in forgetting your love. O Lord, have mercy upon us who are ashamed and sorry for everything in which we have displeased you. Teach us to hate our errors. Cleanse us from our secret faults. And forgive our sins for the sake of your dear Son. And O most holy and loving Father, help us, to live in your light and walk in your ways according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | Romans 5:6-8 | 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.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
*Song of Response | Center
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
/ Oh, Christ be the center of our lives!
Be the place we fix our eyes;
Be the center of our lives. /
You're the center of the universe,
Everything was made in You, Jesus.
Breath of every living thing,
Everyone was made for You.
You hold everything together;
You hold everything together.
Chorus
We lift our eyes to heaven,
We wrap our lives around Your life.
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You.
Music and Lyrics: Charlie Hall, Matt Redman
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 | More Than Enough
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
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.
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.
Chorus
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.
Chorus
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
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Song of Songs 1:1-2; 2:7-8; 3:5-6; 5:1-2; 6:9-10; 8:4-5; 8:14 | Rev. Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.
SHE
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;
2:7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
SHE
8 The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
3:5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
SHE
6 What is that coming up from the wilderness
like columns of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
HE
5:1 I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice,
I ate my honeycomb with my honey,
I drank my wine with my milk.
OTHERS
Eat, friends, drink,
and be drunk with love!
SHE
2 I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.”
HE
6:9 My dove, my perfect one, is the only one,
the only one of her mother,
pure to her who bore her.
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
the queens and concubines also, and they praised
her.
HE
10 “Who is this who looks down like the dawn,
beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun,
awesome as an army with banners?”
SHE
8:4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
SHE
5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor.
14 Make haste, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the mountains of spices.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Song of Songs, The Love Song”
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 | Great Is Thy Faithfulness
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
I could not love Thee, so blind and unfeeling;
Covenant promises fell not to me.
Then without warning, desire, or deserving,
I found my Treasure, my pleasure, in Thee.
Chorus
I have no merit to woo or delight Thee,
I have no wisdom or pow’rs to employ;
Yet in thy mercy, how pleasing thou find’st me,
This is Thy pleasure: that Thou art my joy.
Chorus
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: William M. Runyan, Thomas O. Chisholm, John Piper
Departing Song | How Great Thou Art
We begin to end in faith and song.
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
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!
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
Chorus
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!
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Carl Gustav Boberg, Stuart K. Hine
*Benediction | Numbers 6:24-26 | 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.
24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
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!
Bible Studies
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
Sunday School
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!
Fall Kick-Off Pool Party
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!