September 15, 2024
Call to Worship
Isaiah 40:3-9
Leader: A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
All: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?"
Leader: All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades,
All: but the word of our God will stand forever.
Prayer of Adoration
Psalm 107 (We Give Thanks)
Sovereign Grace Music
Once in the wilderness of our sin
We wandered lost and without hope
Into our desert waste God in grace
Came to restore and bring us home
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
CHORUS:
We give thanks, O God, for Your steadfast love
We give thanks, O God, for You are good, Lord, You are good
We give thanks
Through every pain and trial, You provide
Light in the dark of our distress
Lifting us from on high when we cry
Turning our grief to gratefulness
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
You take the darkness and make it as light
Hearts that were dead in sin, You raise to life
You take a barren place and make it a spring
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
Praise to the Lord, The Almighty
By: Joachim Neander (1680); Trans. by: Catherine Winkworth (1863); Nathan & Christy Nockels (2004)
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wings, Yea so gently sustaineth
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
If with His love He befriend thee
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him
Let the amen sound from his people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him
Let the amen sound from his people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Confession of Sin
Genesis 3:1-6
Leader: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman,
All: "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"
Leader: And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman,
All: "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Leader: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Silent Prayers
Assurance of Forgiveness
Isaiah 40:1-2, 28-31
Leader: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
All: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Leader: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
All: but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
God of Calvary
On the hill of Calvary the Light of all the world
With the world on His shoulders
The weight of all our shame on Him who knew no sin
A holy surrender
The sky went dark; the angels wept
The Father looked away
The final breath; He bowed His head
The Lamb of God was slain
CHORUS:
By His wounds I am set free
By His blood I've been redeemed
The great divide He crossed for me
Oh, praise the God of Calvary
On the hill of Calvary into His Father's hands;
A holy surrender
A borrowed tomb; His mother wept;
And there His body lay
The stone was moved; He conquered death;
And rose from the grave
And if I never, ever lose sight of this place
I will never, ever lose sight of Your grace
Your cross is all, all I need to see;
Oh, praise the God of Calvary
Pastoral Prayer
Thanksgiving and Petition
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.
Sermon Passage
John 1:19-34
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." 22 So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
Leader: The grass withers, the flower fades...
All: ...but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"John the Witness"
Pastor Mike McBride
Lamb of God
By: Jason Ingram, Andi Rozier, Meredith Andrews
You came from heaven’s throne acquainted with our sorrow
To trade the debt we owe, Your suffering for our freedom
CHORUS:
The Lamb of God in my place
Your blood poured out, my sin erased
It was my death You died, I am raised to life
Hallelujah, the Lamb of God
My name upon Your heart, my shame upon Your shoulders
The power of sin undone, the cross for my salvation
BRIDGE:
There is no greater love
There is no greater love
The Savior lifted up
There is no greater love
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.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
By Matthew Bridges (1851); Godfrey Thring (1871)
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity
Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright
Crown Him the Lord of life who triumphed over the grave
Who rose victorious to the strife for those He came to save
His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die
Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days, adored and magnified
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Isaiah 40:3-9
Leader: A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
All: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?"
Leader: All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades,
All: but the word of our God will stand forever.
Prayer of Adoration
Psalm 107 (We Give Thanks)
Sovereign Grace Music
Once in the wilderness of our sin
We wandered lost and without hope
Into our desert waste God in grace
Came to restore and bring us home
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
CHORUS:
We give thanks, O God, for Your steadfast love
We give thanks, O God, for You are good, Lord, You are good
We give thanks
Through every pain and trial, You provide
Light in the dark of our distress
Lifting us from on high when we cry
Turning our grief to gratefulness
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
You take the darkness and make it as light
Hearts that were dead in sin, You raise to life
You take a barren place and make it a spring
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
Let the redeemed of God rise up and sing
Praise to the Lord, The Almighty
By: Joachim Neander (1680); Trans. by: Catherine Winkworth (1863); Nathan & Christy Nockels (2004)
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wings, Yea so gently sustaineth
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
If with His love He befriend thee
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him
Let the amen sound from his people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him
Let the amen sound from his people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Confession of Sin
Genesis 3:1-6
Leader: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman,
All: "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"
Leader: And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman,
All: "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Leader: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Silent Prayers
Assurance of Forgiveness
Isaiah 40:1-2, 28-31
Leader: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
All: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Leader: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
All: but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
God of Calvary
On the hill of Calvary the Light of all the world
With the world on His shoulders
The weight of all our shame on Him who knew no sin
A holy surrender
The sky went dark; the angels wept
The Father looked away
The final breath; He bowed His head
The Lamb of God was slain
CHORUS:
By His wounds I am set free
By His blood I've been redeemed
The great divide He crossed for me
Oh, praise the God of Calvary
On the hill of Calvary into His Father's hands;
A holy surrender
A borrowed tomb; His mother wept;
And there His body lay
The stone was moved; He conquered death;
And rose from the grave
And if I never, ever lose sight of this place
I will never, ever lose sight of Your grace
Your cross is all, all I need to see;
Oh, praise the God of Calvary
Pastoral Prayer
Thanksgiving and Petition
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.
Sermon Passage
John 1:19-34
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." 22 So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
Leader: The grass withers, the flower fades...
All: ...but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"John the Witness"
Pastor Mike McBride
Lamb of God
By: Jason Ingram, Andi Rozier, Meredith Andrews
You came from heaven’s throne acquainted with our sorrow
To trade the debt we owe, Your suffering for our freedom
CHORUS:
The Lamb of God in my place
Your blood poured out, my sin erased
It was my death You died, I am raised to life
Hallelujah, the Lamb of God
My name upon Your heart, my shame upon Your shoulders
The power of sin undone, the cross for my salvation
BRIDGE:
There is no greater love
There is no greater love
The Savior lifted up
There is no greater love
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.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
By Matthew Bridges (1851); Godfrey Thring (1871)
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity
Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright
Crown Him the Lord of life who triumphed over the grave
Who rose victorious to the strife for those He came to save
His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die
Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days, adored and magnified
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Posted in Worship Guide