Sundays at 10:30am

April 23, 2023

Call to Worship 
Psalm 46:8-11

Leader:  Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.

All:  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.  

Leader:  "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  

All:  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.


Come Behold (Psalm 46)
Thief to King

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


Prayer of Adoration


O How Good to Be Together
Written by Paul Ranheim & Kirk Sauers ©2020 Mellow Toad Music (BMI), Bold Canary Music (BMI).

Oh how good to be together
In this weary world we trod
What a gift, what a treasure
Kindred in the house of God

On this day the Lord has fashioned 
Come rejoice with all your might
Raise a banner of salvation
He has led us through the night

CHORUS
Oh the joy, oh the sweetness
To be gathered in the name of the Lord
Evermore, he will keep us
From the valley to the golden shore

When it looked like evil conquered
When we felt the darkest hour
In despair we sought the Father
And he has proved his mighty power  (CHORUS)

Tell the theme of his provision 
How he met our every need
He has been our firm foundation
And he will ever, always be  (CHORUS)

Prayer of Confession
Matthew 5:21-25, 1 John 1:8-9

Leader:  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

All:  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Leader:  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

All:  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silent Prayers

God’s Assurance of Forgiveness
2 Corinthians 5:17-19   

All: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.


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 Savior 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 song.



We Need To Hear Your Word (Psalm 119:33-40)
Nathan Partain

Train our hearts to love what You command
We let go of our perceptions as You lead us by the hand
Every foreign step we trust You as we follow further on
As you give us your desire, we obey with all we are

Oh, we need to hear Your Word
Oh, we need to hear Your Word
Please don’t let Your branches wither or Your children die for thirst
Oh, we need to hear Your Word

Sermon Passage
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4

12 For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.  13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and acknowledge and I hope you will fully acknowledge-  14 just as you did partially acknowledge us, that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.  
15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace.  16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.  17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?  18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.  19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes.  20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.  21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,  22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.  
23 But I call God to witness against me- it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.  24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.  
2:1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.  2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?  3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.  4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.   

Pastor:  The grass withers and the flower fades...
All:  ...but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)


Sermon
"Assurance"
Pastor Mike McBride


In Christ Alone
Stewart Townend

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand


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.


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”


Benediction
† We invite you to stretch out your hands as you receive the Lord’s blessing.
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