September 22, 2024

*Call to Worship | Isaiah 40:8 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

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*Song of Adoration | All Creatures Of Our God And King

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

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing

O praise Him, Alleluia

Thou burning sun with golden beams

Thou silver moon with softer gleam

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Oh praise him, Oh praise him

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

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Thou rushing wind that art so strong

Ye clouds that sail in heav'n along

O praise Him, Alleluia

Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice

Ye lights of evening, find a voice

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Chorus

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Thou flowing water pure and clear

Make music for Thy Lord to hear

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou fire so masterful and bright

That givest man both warmth and light,

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Chorus

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Let all things their Creator bless

And worship Him in humbleness

Oh praise Him, Alleluia

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son

And praise the Spirit, Three in One

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Chorus

_{Music and Lyrics: St. Francis of Assisi, William Henry Draper}

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*Confession of Faith | Westminster Confession of Faith, Q.33 

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

Leader: What is sanctification?

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People: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

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*Song of Confession | Come Boldly To The Throne Of Grace

^{Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.}

Come boldly to the throne of grace

Ye wretched sinners come

And lay your load at Jesus' feet

And plead what He has done

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"How can I come?" some soul may say

"I'm lame and cannot walk

My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth

I sign but dare not talk"

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He makes the dead to hear His voice

He makes the blind to see

The sinner lost He came to save

And set the prisoner free

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Come boldly to the throne of grace

Though lost and blind and lame

Jehovah is the sinner's Friend

And ever was the same

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Poor bankrupt souls who feel and know

The hell of sin within

Come boldly to the throne of grace

The Lord will take you in

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Chorus

_{Music and Lyrics: D. Herbert, Brian T. Murphy, Clint Wells}

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Confession of Sin | 1 John 1:5-6, 8, 10

^{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.}

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth… 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us… 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

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Assurance of Pardon | 1 John 1:7, 9 | 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.}

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin… 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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*Song of Response | Jesus I Come

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

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,

Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.

Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my sickness into Thy health,

Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,

Out of my sin and into Thyself,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

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Out of my shameful failure and loss,

Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,

Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,

Out of distress into jubilant psalm,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

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Out of unrest and arrogant pride,

Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into Thy blessed will to abide,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,

Out of despair into raptures above,

Upward forever on wings like a dove,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

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Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,

Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into the joy and light of Thy home,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the depths of ruin untold,

Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,

Ever Thy glorious face to behold,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

_{Music and Lyrics: William True Sleeper, Nathan Partain}

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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 | Grace And Peace

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

Grace and peace, oh how can this be

For lawbreakers and thieves, for the worthless, the least

You have said that our judgment is death

For all eternity without hope, without rest

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Oh, what an amazing mystery, what an amazing mystery

That Your grace has come to me

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Grace and peace, oh how can this be?

The matchless King of all paid the blood price for me

Slaughtered lamb, what atonement You bring!

The vilest sinner's heart can be cleansed, can be free

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Chorus

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Grace and peace, oh how can this be?

Let songs of gratefulness ever rise, never cease

Loved by God and called as a saint

My heart is satisfied in the riches of Christ

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Oh, what an amazing mystery, what an amazing mystery

That Your grace has come to me

Oh, what an amazing love I see, what an amazing love I see

That Your grace has come to me

_{Music and Lyrics: Joel Sczebel}

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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 | 1 Peter 1:10-25 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

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13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

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22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” 

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 And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

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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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“Called to Holiness”

1 Peter: Homesick and Hopeful

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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.

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 | My Worth Is Not In What I Own

^{We celebrate our communion in faith and song.}

My worth is not in what I own

Not in the strength of flesh and bone

But in the costly wounds of love – At the cross.

My worth is not in skill or name

In win or lose, in pride or shame

But in the blood of Christ that flowed – At the cross.

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest Treasure,

Wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other.

My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die

Fame, youth and beauty hurry by

But life eternal calls to us – At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might

Or human wisdom's fleeting light

But I will boast in knowing Christ – At the cross

Chorus

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Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed; my ransom paid – At the cross.

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Chorus

_{Music and Lyrics: Keith & Kristyn Getty, Graham Kendrick}

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Departing Song | Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go

^{We begin to end in faith and song.}

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

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O light that followest all my way,

I yield my flickering torch to thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

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O Joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

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O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

_{Music and Lyrics: Robbie Seay, Taylor Johnson, Albert Peace, George Matheson}

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*Benediction | 1 Thessalonians 5:23 | 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.}

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Bible Studies

Women’s Morning Study: Wednesday, September 25

Our weekly women’s study on Prayer meets each Wednesday this fall. Join us at 10am at the home of Marion Wade!

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Women’s Evening Study: Thursday, October 3

Our women’s evening study on Prayer will meet on Thursday, October 3! Join us at the home of Susan Arnoult at 7pm.

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Men’s Morning Study: Friday, October 4

Our men’s study on Prayer will meet on Friday, October 4 at 7am at Bean and Bottle! 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100. 

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Kids’ Sunday School

Sunday, September 29, 9am

Cornerstone Kids’ Sunday School continues on Sunday, September 22 for the 3rd lesson of our 10-week series on Justification! 

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Youth Bible Study

Sunday, September 29, 9am

Cornerstone Kids’ Sunday School continues on Sunday, September 22 for the 3rd lesson of our 10-week series on Justification!

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Men’s Retreat

Saturday, October 5

Cornerstone men are invited to join us October 5th for a day retreat just outside of Houston to the Plank farm in New Ulm. We keep it simple. Come rest in some open spaces and enjoy fellowship and friendship and good food and drink. Friends welcome.

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Women’s Gathering

Tuesday, October 15

Cornerstone women are invited to join us at the Beaty Home  on Tuesday, October 15 for our next quarterly gathering! Friends welcome!

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