Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.
*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering
ROMANS - Wrestling with wrath
CALL TO WORSHIP
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Praise be to the LORD God, who alone does marvellous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
(Psalm 19:1-4, 72:18-19)
Song: Indescribable
Song: 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
We've already heard and sung that God's glory has been shown to us since the creation of the world and yet so often we don't give God the glory he deserves. Romans 1 tells us that humanity has supressed the truth of God, not only that but we have also exchanged the truth about God for a lie.
Instead of worshipping God, honouring him and giving him thanks, we direct our worship to so many other things in his place. Instead of looking to God the creator of all things, we become distracted with the things he's created, giving them the glory he deserves. Take a moment to reflect on that now. To confess to God where you see this in your own heart. When we fail to glorify God, our hearts become dark and in need of rescue. In Jesus we have a saviour who turns our darkness into light. Hear his words to us now:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)
Song: Shine into our Night
PASSING OF THE PEACE
PREACHING OF THE WORD
Gary Aston preached to us from Romans 1:18-32 on wrestling with wrath. Click here to listen to that sermon.
COMMUNION
Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.
POST COMMUNION READING
Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.
We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.
With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.
We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.
Song: The Power of the Cross
Song: Before the Throne of God Above
COMMITMENT READING
The truth of the gospel that God does not treat us as our sins deserve, Jesus stepped down into this World and gave himself up for us that we might know forgiveness and relationship with God through him. Let's read these words as a commitment as we prepare to go now:
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 & 21)
Song: Grace Alone
BENEDICTION
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
(Jude 24-25)
Peace be with you.
And also with you.