January 22, 2023
Call to Worship
Psalm 96:7-13
Leader: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
All: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Leader: Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations,
All: "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."
Leader: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
All: Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!
Leader: Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes,
All: for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Prayer of Adoration
The Love Of The Father
CityAlight
Lift up your voices and lift up your praise
Join with the heavens declaring the wonders
Of His faithfulness forever
Sing of the victory, the hope of the world
The Savior has risen, the Spirit has come to
Bring us into love forever
Chorus:
Oh, we are the people of God
With the freedom of hope in our hearts
How great is the love of the Father
Lifted from darkness and into the light
The sons and the daughters are loved at a price
Our God has made us His forever
Bridge:
This is the song of the redeemed, the ransomed and the free
Given life at such a price; this is love, this is love
And when the Father calls us home and we see Him on the throne
Hear the voices sing as one, “This is love, this is love”
Prayer of Confession
Exodus 16:1-3, 17:1-3
Leader: They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them,
All: "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Leader: All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said,
All: "Give us water to drink."
Leader: And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said,
All: "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"
Silent Prayers
God’s Assurance of Forgiveness
John 6:30-35
Leader: [The crowd said to Jesus], "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them,
All: "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Leader: They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them,
All: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Thy Mercy
By John Stoker and Sandra McCracken
Thy mercy, my God is the theme of my song
The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone from the first to the last
Has won my affections and bound my soul fast
Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here
Sin would reduce me to utter despair
But through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive
And He that first made me still keeps me alive
Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And week for the praise of the mercy I found
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son
All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine
All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine
He Will Hold Me Fast
Keith and Kristen Getty
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
CHORUS:
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast.
He'll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast. (CHORUS)
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last! (CHORUS)
Family Life
† During a brief intermission, children can go with their teachers for a lesson.
The musicians will call us back with a song reprised.
Sermon Passage
Genesis 13:1-18
13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.
2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
8 Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.
14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.
Pastor: The grass withers and the flower fades...
All: ...but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"The Plot Thickens"
Pastor Mike McBride
Goodness of God
By Ed Cash and Jenn Johnson
I love You, Lord. Oh, Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God
Chorus:
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice You have led me through the fire
In darkest night, You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father, I’ve known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God
Bridge:
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now, I give You everything
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
I will sing of the goodness of God
I will sing of the goodness of God
The Lord’s Supper
† Receive bread and juice from one of our section hosts near you. Gluten free options are available at the front table.
All My Ways Are Known to You
CityAlight
In days of peace and days of rest
In times of loss and loneliness
Though rich or poor, Your word is true
That all my ways are known to You
No trial has come beyond Your hand
No step I walk beyond Your plan
The path is dark outside my view
Still all my ways are known to You
Chorus: And oh what peace that I have found wherever I may be
For all my ways are known to You Hallelujah, they are known to You!
I do not fear the final night
For death will be the door to life
You take my hand and lead me through
For all my ways are known to You
Bridge: Open up my eyes so I may see
That You have made these ways for me
Open up my eyes so I may see
That You my God, will walk with me
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Psalm 96:7-13
Leader: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
All: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Leader: Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations,
All: "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."
Leader: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
All: Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!
Leader: Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes,
All: for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Prayer of Adoration
The Love Of The Father
CityAlight
Lift up your voices and lift up your praise
Join with the heavens declaring the wonders
Of His faithfulness forever
Sing of the victory, the hope of the world
The Savior has risen, the Spirit has come to
Bring us into love forever
Chorus:
Oh, we are the people of God
With the freedom of hope in our hearts
How great is the love of the Father
Lifted from darkness and into the light
The sons and the daughters are loved at a price
Our God has made us His forever
Bridge:
This is the song of the redeemed, the ransomed and the free
Given life at such a price; this is love, this is love
And when the Father calls us home and we see Him on the throne
Hear the voices sing as one, “This is love, this is love”
Prayer of Confession
Exodus 16:1-3, 17:1-3
Leader: They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them,
All: "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Leader: All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said,
All: "Give us water to drink."
Leader: And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said,
All: "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"
Silent Prayers
God’s Assurance of Forgiveness
John 6:30-35
Leader: [The crowd said to Jesus], "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them,
All: "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Leader: They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them,
All: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Thy Mercy
By John Stoker and Sandra McCracken
Thy mercy, my God is the theme of my song
The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone from the first to the last
Has won my affections and bound my soul fast
Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here
Sin would reduce me to utter despair
But through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive
And He that first made me still keeps me alive
Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And week for the praise of the mercy I found
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son
All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine
All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine
He Will Hold Me Fast
Keith and Kristen Getty
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
CHORUS:
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast.
He'll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast. (CHORUS)
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last! (CHORUS)
Family Life
† During a brief intermission, children can go with their teachers for a lesson.
The musicians will call us back with a song reprised.
Sermon Passage
Genesis 13:1-18
13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.
2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
8 Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.
14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.
Pastor: The grass withers and the flower fades...
All: ...but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Sermon
"The Plot Thickens"
Pastor Mike McBride
Goodness of God
By Ed Cash and Jenn Johnson
I love You, Lord. Oh, Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God
Chorus:
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice You have led me through the fire
In darkest night, You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father, I’ve known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God
Bridge:
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now, I give You everything
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
I will sing of the goodness of God
I will sing of the goodness of God
The Lord’s Supper
† Receive bread and juice from one of our section hosts near you. Gluten free options are available at the front table.
All My Ways Are Known to You
CityAlight
In days of peace and days of rest
In times of loss and loneliness
Though rich or poor, Your word is true
That all my ways are known to You
No trial has come beyond Your hand
No step I walk beyond Your plan
The path is dark outside my view
Still all my ways are known to You
Chorus: And oh what peace that I have found wherever I may be
For all my ways are known to You Hallelujah, they are known to You!
I do not fear the final night
For death will be the door to life
You take my hand and lead me through
For all my ways are known to You
Bridge: Open up my eyes so I may see
That You have made these ways for me
Open up my eyes so I may see
That You my God, will walk with me
Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
Posted in Worship Guide