Welcome to the recap of songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon from this past Sunday’s gathering. This blog exists to give you the chance 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.
The Challenges of Work
CALL TO WORSHIP
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100)
Song: Rejoice
Song: Come Thou Fount
Confession and Assurance
We've just sung that we are prone to wander, prone to leave the God we love and that's something we experience each and every day. So often our hearts wander and bow down to idols that we've put in the place of God: money, success, security, comfort. We value these things above God, believing they will bring us true joy and true satisfaction.
The hope of the gospel is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. So we can rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Song: In Tenderness He Sought Me
Passing of the Peace
Preaching of the Word
This week Tom Thrower preached on the challenges of work, looking at idols and work, isolation and work, and the futility of work. 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 the 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: How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Song: Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Commitment Reading
The truth of the gospel is that Jesus has saved us from the slavery of sin, he is the one who brings hope into this broken and sinful world. The one who can restore our work back to God's perfect plan. This is the hope we have in the gospel.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23)
Song: In Christ Alone
Benediction
To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
Amen.