January 14, 2024
Call to Worship
Romans 11:33-36
Leader: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
All: How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Leader: "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
All: "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
Leader: For from him and through him and to him are all things.
All: To him be glory forever. Amen.
Prayer of Adoration
Let The Nations Be Glad
By Matt Boswell, Aaron Boswell, Matt Papa.
Let the glory of the Lord forever be our joy
May redemption be the theme of our song
For by grace we have been saved and by grace we shall proclaim
To the corners of the earth that Christ has come
CHORUS:
Let the nations be glad; Let the people rejoice
For salvation belongs to our God
Let the whole earth be filled with the praises of the Lord
For salvation belongs to our God; Let the nations be glad
Through the ages gone before; through the trial and the sword
Many saints and martyrs conquered though they died
Still we're holding out the cross, crossing oceans, suffering loss
Shall endure all things to win the crown of life (Chorus)
As Your holy church goes forth in the Holy Spirit's power
With the glories of the gospel to explain
Now we pray Your kingdom come, and we pray Your will be done
For the honor and the glory of Your Name (Chorus)
Psalm 127 (Unless the Lord)
The Corner Room
CHORUS:
Unless the Lord builds the house
Those who build it labor in vain
Unless the Lord watches over the city
The watchman stays awake in vain
It is in vain that you rise up early
And go late to rest
Eating the bread of anxious toil
For he gives to his beloved sleep
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord
The fruit of the womb a reward
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
Are the children of one’s youth
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
When he speaks with his enemies in the gate
Confession of Sin
Galatians 5:16-23
Leader: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
All: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Leader: Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
All: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Silent Prayers
Assurance of God’s Forgiveness
Galatians 2:20
Leader: I have been crucified with Christ.
All: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
His Mercy is More
ASCAP Publisher Number: 160234 // ASCAP Writer Number: 1721724 (Matt Papa).
CHORUS:
Praise the Lord. His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness. New every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Pastoral Prayer
Thanksgiving and Intercession
Family Life and Offerings
† Tithes and offerings can be given at fieldspres.org/give or in the offering box.
† During a brief intermission, children can go with their teachers for a lesson.
The musicians will call us back with song.
Sermon Passage
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Leader: The grass withers, the flower fades,
All: but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"The Search Begins"
Pastor Chris McLaughlin
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
By Walter Smith; Music by John Roberts; Arr: Jaron Kamin
Immortal, invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love
To all life Thou givest, to both great and small
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish but naught changeth Thee
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee
The Lord’s Supper
† Receive bread and juice from one of our section hosts near you. Gluten free wafers are available at the front table. We will all eat and drink together.
Come Behold (Psalm 46)
Thief to King
CHORUS:
Come behold the wondrous works
Of the Lord Who reigns on high
Oh, be still and know that He is God
Our fortress He will be
God is our refuge and our strength, a very present aid
Therefore, although the earth gives way we will not be afraid
Though mountains move into the sea, though waters rage and foam
Although the hills may quake and fall, our hope is in the Lord
The nations rage and kingdoms move, their plotting is in vain
They all shall tremble at the voice of God above who reigns
Great desolation to the earth, He turns the wars to peace
He breaks the bow and shatters spear, all chariots to cease
All the glory to His name
O exalted He shall be
O be still and know that He is God
Our fortress He will be
Our fortress He will be
Our fortress He will be
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Romans 11:33-36
Leader: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
All: How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Leader: "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
All: "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
Leader: For from him and through him and to him are all things.
All: To him be glory forever. Amen.
Prayer of Adoration
Let The Nations Be Glad
By Matt Boswell, Aaron Boswell, Matt Papa.
Let the glory of the Lord forever be our joy
May redemption be the theme of our song
For by grace we have been saved and by grace we shall proclaim
To the corners of the earth that Christ has come
CHORUS:
Let the nations be glad; Let the people rejoice
For salvation belongs to our God
Let the whole earth be filled with the praises of the Lord
For salvation belongs to our God; Let the nations be glad
Through the ages gone before; through the trial and the sword
Many saints and martyrs conquered though they died
Still we're holding out the cross, crossing oceans, suffering loss
Shall endure all things to win the crown of life (Chorus)
As Your holy church goes forth in the Holy Spirit's power
With the glories of the gospel to explain
Now we pray Your kingdom come, and we pray Your will be done
For the honor and the glory of Your Name (Chorus)
Psalm 127 (Unless the Lord)
The Corner Room
CHORUS:
Unless the Lord builds the house
Those who build it labor in vain
Unless the Lord watches over the city
The watchman stays awake in vain
It is in vain that you rise up early
And go late to rest
Eating the bread of anxious toil
For he gives to his beloved sleep
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord
The fruit of the womb a reward
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
Are the children of one’s youth
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
When he speaks with his enemies in the gate
Confession of Sin
Galatians 5:16-23
Leader: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
All: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Leader: Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
All: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Silent Prayers
Assurance of God’s Forgiveness
Galatians 2:20
Leader: I have been crucified with Christ.
All: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
His Mercy is More
ASCAP Publisher Number: 160234 // ASCAP Writer Number: 1721724 (Matt Papa).
CHORUS:
Praise the Lord. His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness. New every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Pastoral Prayer
Thanksgiving and Intercession
Family Life and Offerings
† Tithes and offerings can be given at fieldspres.org/give or in the offering box.
† During a brief intermission, children can go with their teachers for a lesson.
The musicians will call us back with song.
Sermon Passage
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Leader: The grass withers, the flower fades,
All: but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"The Search Begins"
Pastor Chris McLaughlin
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
By Walter Smith; Music by John Roberts; Arr: Jaron Kamin
Immortal, invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love
To all life Thou givest, to both great and small
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish but naught changeth Thee
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee
The Lord’s Supper
† Receive bread and juice from one of our section hosts near you. Gluten free wafers are available at the front table. We will all eat and drink together.
Come Behold (Psalm 46)
Thief to King
CHORUS:
Come behold the wondrous works
Of the Lord Who reigns on high
Oh, be still and know that He is God
Our fortress He will be
God is our refuge and our strength, a very present aid
Therefore, although the earth gives way we will not be afraid
Though mountains move into the sea, though waters rage and foam
Although the hills may quake and fall, our hope is in the Lord
The nations rage and kingdoms move, their plotting is in vain
They all shall tremble at the voice of God above who reigns
Great desolation to the earth, He turns the wars to peace
He breaks the bow and shatters spear, all chariots to cease
All the glory to His name
O exalted He shall be
O be still and know that He is God
Our fortress He will be
Our fortress He will be
Our fortress He will be
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Posted in Worship Guide