.svg)
December 31, 2023
Resources and content for this Sunday.
*Call to Worship | Psalm 3:8 | Charlie Fiorillo
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people!
*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.
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.
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.
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.
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
*Confession of Faith | Westminster Confession of Faith Ch.8.2, Of Christ the Mediator
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.
*Song of Confession | Grace Alone
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
I was an orphan lost at the fall;
Running away when I'd hear your call.
But Father, you worked your will.
I had no righteousness of my own.
I had no right to draw near your throne.
But Father, you loved me still.
And in love before you laid the world's foundation,
You predestined to adopt me as your own.
You have raised me up so high above my station.
I'm a child of God by grace and grace alone.
You left your home to seek out the lost;
You knew the great and terrible cost.
But Jesus, your face was set.
I worked my fingers down to the bone;
Nothing I did could ever atone.
But Jesus, you paid my debt.
By your blood I have redemption and salvation.
Lord, you died that I might reap what you have sown.
And you rose that I might be a new creation.
I am born again by grace and grace alone.
I was in darkness all of my life.
I never knew the day from the night.
But Spirit, you made me see.
I swore I knew the way on my own,
Head full of rocks, a heart made of stone.
But Spirit, you moved in me.
At your touch my sleeping spirit was awakened;
On my darkened heart the light of Christ has shone;
Called into a kingdom that cannot be shaken;
Heaven's citizen by grace and grace alone.
So, I'll stand in faith by grace and grace alone.
I will run the race by grace and grace alone.
I will slay my sin by grace and grace alone.
I will reach the end by grace and grace alone.
Music and Lyrics: Dustin Kensrue
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.
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.
Assurance of Pardon | John 3:16 | Charlie Fiorillo
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.
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.
*Song of Response | Before The Throne Of God Above
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose Name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart;
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Halleluiah! Halleluiah!
Praise the One, Risen Son of God!
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One with Himself, I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: C.L. Bancroft
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 | Thy Word
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way;
Still You're there right beside me.
And nothing will I fear as long as You are near;
You are with me to the end.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Chorus
I should not forget Your love for me and yet
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus You’re my guide, You hold me to Your side
You will love me to the end
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Luke 4:16-30 | Charlie Fiorillo
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Charlie Fiorillo
“Christ and the Fulfillment of Scripture”
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 | Be Thou My Vision
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father and I, Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my breast plate, my sword for the fight.
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,
Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
True Light of heaven, when victory is won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Music and Lyrics: John Sullivan Dwight, Placide Cappeau, Kurtis Parks
Departing Song | All Glory Be To Christ
We begin to end in faith and song.
Should nothing of our efforts stand
No legacy survive
Unless the Lord does raise the house
In vain its builders strive
To you who boast tomorrow's gain
Tell me what is your life
A mist that vanishes at dawn
All glory be to Christ!
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!
His will be done, His kingdom come
On earth as is above
Who is Himself our daily bread
Praise Him the Lord of love
Let living water satisfy
The thirsty without price
We'll take a cup of kindness yet
All glory be to Christ!
Chorus
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
Behold our God shall live with us
And be our steadfast light
And we shall ere his people be
All glory be to Christ!
/ Chorus /
Music and Lyrics: Dustin Kensrue, Robert Burns
*Benediction | 2 Peter 1:2 | Charlie Fiorillo
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.
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Spring Calendar
Our spring events and programs are now on our website!
Spring Supper Clubs
Sign up for 2024 spring supper clubs HERE!
Supper clubs are a great small group avenue to enjoy fellowship with others in the church by getting together once a month in the spring. Sign up to join on our website or weekly email!
Bible Studies
Men’s Morning Study: Next date! Friday, January 5
Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100.
Women’s Evening Study: New date! Thursday, January 11
Monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.