October 29, 2023

*Call to Worship | Matthew 6:33 | Blake Arnoult

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

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33 Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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*Song of Adoration | Holy Is The Lord

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

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We stand and lift up our hands

For the joy of the Lord is our strength

We bow down and worship Him now

How great how awesome is He

And together we sing

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Holy is the Lord God Almighty

The earth is filled with His glory

Holy is the Lord God Almighty

The earth is filled with His glory

The earth is filled with his glory

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We stand and lift up our hands

For the joy of the Lord is our strength

We bow down and worship Him now

How great how awesome is He

And together we sing

Everyone sing

Chorus

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/ It's rising up all around

It's the anthem of the Lord's renown /

And together we sing

Everyone sing

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Chorus

Music and Lyrics: Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio

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*Confession of Faith | Luke 12:22-24

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

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22 Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

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*Song of Confession | Lord, I Need You

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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Lord, I come, I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

Without You I fall apart

You're the One that guides my heart

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Lord, I need You, oh, I need You

Every hour I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

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Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are, Lord, I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

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Chorus

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Teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

When I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus, You're my hope and stay

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Chorus

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You're my one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

Music and Lyrics: C. Nockels, D. Carson, J. Reeves, K. Stanfill, M. Maher

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Confession of Sin | based on Deuteronomy 6, Hebrews 7

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 great and everlasting God, who dwells in unapproachable light, who searches and knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart; we confess that we have not loved you with all our heart, nor with all our soul, nor with all our mind, nor with all our strength; nor our neighbors as ourselves. We have loved what we ought not to have loved; we have coveted what is not ours; we have not been content with your provisions for us. We have complained in our hearts about our family, about our friends, about our health, about our occupations, about your church, and about our trials. We have sought our security in those things which perish, rather than in you, God. Chasten, cleanse, and forgive us, through Jesus Christ, who is able for all time to save us who approach you through him, since he always lives to make intercession for us. Amen.

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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 | All Must Be Well

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

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Through the love of God our Savior, All will be well

Free and changeless is His favor, All is well

Precious is the blood that healed us

Perfect is the grace that sealed us

Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us

All must be well

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Though we pass through tribulation, All will be well

Ours is such a full salvation, All is well

Happy still in God confiding

Fruitful if in Christ abiding

Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding

All must be well

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We expect a bright tomorrow; All will be well

Faith can sing through days of sorrow, All is well

/On our Father's love relying

Jesus every need supplying

Yes in living or in dying

All must be well/

Music and Lyrics: Mary Bowly Peters, Matthew S. Smith

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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 | How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

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

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How deep the Father's love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

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Behold the Man upon a cross

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

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I will not boast in anything

No gifts no power no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

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I sing because I’m happy

I sing because I’m free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me

Music and Lyrics: Stuart Townend

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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 | Matthew 6:19-24 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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

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19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

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24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

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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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“On Treasure”

Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount

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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 | All Glory Be To Christ

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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Should nothing of our efforts stand

No legacy survive

Unless the Lord does raise the house

In vain its builders strive

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To you who boast tomorrow's gain

Tell me what is your life

A mist that vanishes at dawn

All glory be to Christ!

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All glory be to Christ our King!

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign we'll ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

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His will be done, His kingdom come

On earth as is above

Who is Himself our daily bread

Praise Him the Lord of love

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Let living water satisfy

The thirsty without price

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

All glory be to Christ!

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Chorus

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When on the day the great I am

The faithful and the true

The Lamb who was for sinners slain

Is making all things new

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Behold our God shall live with us

And be our steadfast light

And we shall ere his people be

All glory be to Christ!

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/Chorus/

Music and Lyrics: Dustin Kensrue, Robert Burns

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Departing Song | We Will Feast in the House of Zion

We begin to end in faith and song.

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We will feast in the house of Zion.

We will sing with our hearts restored.

“He has done great things!”, we will say together.

We will feast and weep no more.

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We will not be burned by the fire;

He is the Lord, our God.

We are not consumed by the flood;

Upheld, protected, gathered up.

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Chorus

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In the dark of night, before the dawn;

My soul, be not afraid.

For the promised morning, oh, how long?

Oh, God of Jacob, be my strength!

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Chorus

Every vow we've broken and betrayed;

You are the Faithful one.

And from the garden to the grave;

Bind us together, bring shalom!

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/Chorus/

Music and Lyrics: Sandra McCracken, Joshua Moore

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*Benediction | 2 Corinthians 9:8 | 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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8 God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Bible Studies

Women’s Morning Study: Weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30am from August 23 - November 15 at the Wade home.

Men’s Morning Study: Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100. 

Women’s Evening Study: Monthly at 7pm on the first Thursday of each month at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.

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Sunday School

Sunday mornings at 9am from October 15 - November 5!

Pre-K through 12th grades are invited to join us for Sunday school for the second half of our 8-week study in Eschatology! Children and youth will gather separately for age-appropriate lessons. 

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Youth Gathering - Save the Date!

Sunday, November 12 

Save the date for a youth gathering on November 12, directly after the service! 

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Adult Christmas Party

Sunday, December 3 at 6pm! 

Save the date for our adult Christmas party taking place on December 3 at the Plank home!

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Children’s and Youth Christmas Party

Sunday, December 10 at 11:30am!

Save the date for our children’s and youth Christmas Party taking place on December 10 at the Donovan home!

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