Welcome | Rev. Alan Charnock, Director of Community Engagement
Call to Worship | 1 Chronicles 16:8-9
Leader: Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
All: Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
Song of Praise | Praise to the Lord (Joyful Joyful)
Praise to the Lord the Almighty
The King of creation
O my soul praise Him
For He is your health and salvation
Come all who hear
Now to His temple draw near
Join me in glad adoration
Praise to the Lord
Above all things so wondrously reigning
Shelt’ring you under His wings
And so gently sustaining
Have you not seen
All that is needful has been
Sent by His gracious ordaining
Praise to the Lord
Who will prosper your work and defend you
Surely His goodness and mercy
Shall daily attend you
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do
If with His love He befriends you
Joyful joyful we adore Thee
God of glory Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above
Joyful joyful we adore Thee
God of glory Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above
Praise to the Lord
O 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 forever adore Him
Song of Praise | The Lion and the Lamb
He’s coming on the clouds
Kings and kingdoms will bow down
And every chain will break
As broken hearts declare His praise
For who can stop the Lord Almighty?
Our God is the Lion
The Lion of Judah
He’s roaring with power
And fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before Him
Our God is the Lamb
The Lamb that was slain
For the sin of the world
His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow
Before the Lion and the Lamb
Every knee will bow before Him
So open up the gates
Make way before the King of Kings
The God who comes to save is here
To set the captives free
For who can stop the Lord Almighty
Who can stop the Lord Almighty
Prayer of Adoration (Concluded by the Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Doxology | All Ye Who Are of Tender Heart
All ye who are of tender heart
Forgiving others take your part
O praise him Alleluia
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear
Praise God and on him cast your care
O praise him, O praise him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Let all things their creator bless
And worship him with humbleness
O praise him, Alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three in One
O praise him, O praise him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, What good do we have that we did not receive?
Every good and perfect gift comes from you.
And yet, still we move through life with selfishness, pride, and a sense of entitlement.
O Lord, forgive us for our ingratitude.
In Jesus, you’ve given us the greatest gift of all.
As we rest in Jesus today, transform us into a people of gratitude.
For your love that never fails, for your grace that runs deeper than our sin,
for your presence that will heal our troubled hearts,
we give you our thanks and praise.
Amen.
Silent Confession
Words of Encouragement | Psalm 40:10
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.
Prayers of the People
Song of Response | Grace Alone
I was an orphan lost at the fall
Running away when I’d hear you call
But Father you worked your will
I had no righteousness of my own
I had no right to draw near your throne
But Father you loved me still
And in love before you laid the world’s foundation
You predestined to adopt me as your own
You have raised me up so high above my station
I’m a child of God by grace and grace alone
You left your home to seek out the lost
You knew the great and terrible cost
But Jesus your face was set
I worked my fingers down to the bone
But nothing I did could ever atone
But Jesus you paid my debt
By your blood I have redemption and salvation
Lord you died that I might reap what you have sown
And you rose that I might be a new creation
I am born again by grace and grace alone
I was in darkness all of my life
I never knew the day from the night
But Spirit you made me see
I swore I knew the way on my own
Head full of rocks, a heart made of stone
But Spirit you moved in me
And at your touch my sleeping spirit was awakened
On my darkened heart the light of Christ has shone
Called into a kingdom that cannot be shaken
Heaven’s citizen by grace and grace alone
So I’ll stand in faith by grace and grace alone
I will run the race by grace and grace alone
I will slay my sin by grace and grace alone
I will reach the end by grace and grace alone
Offering
Gracious God, everything we have comes from you. As we remember who you are and all you have done for us, enable us to be truly generous—with our money, our time, and all we are and have. Use what we give for your glory and the good of our city. Amen.
Greetings and Announcements
Scripture Reading | 2 Kings 7:3-13
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”
10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.
12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside, thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.’” 13 One of his officers answered, “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.” (NIV)
Sermon | Witness by Rev. Bijan Mirtolooi
Song of Response | Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
(Chorus)
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
(Chorus)
Song of Response | I Waited Patiently
I waited patiently
I waited patiently
I waited patiently for you Lord
And you turned to me
Set my spirit free
I waited patiently
For you Lord
Lord I remember when
You helped me stand again
You gave me strength and then
Opened my ears
And I heard your voice
Cutting through the noise
A blessed rush of joy
Eclipsed my fears
(Chorus)
You’ve given my heart a song to sing
My feet a place to stand
My eyes now recognize
My life is surely in your hands
And even when pain comes to stay
My God, you don’t delay
You’re pleased to rescue me
From sinking sand
May all who seek your face
Who long for your embrace
And need your saving grace
Rejoice and sing
Oh but as for me
I have such great need
Come deliver me
Mighty king
(Chorus)
You suffered patiently
You hung upon the tree
You bore my penalty
Conquered the grave
You are lifted high
And with you so am I
So for eternal life
I’ll sing your praise
(Chorus x 2)
Benediction and Dismissal
Minister: Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All: Thanks be to God!
Musicians
Lou Garrett | Acoustic Guitar
Brian Holtz | Bass
Coleman Bartels | Drums
Piano & Vocals | Chris Weldon
Vocals | Jessie Wagner
Vocals | Mark Epperson
Song Credits
Praise to the Lord (Joyful, Joyful) | Adrian Disch and Shane Barnard; CCLI#7160189
The Lion and the Lamb | Leeland Mooring, Brenton Brown, and Brian Johnson; CCLI#7038281
All Ye Who Are of Tender Heart | Words: St. Francis of Assisi; Music: Lasst Uns Erfreuen
Grace Alone | Dustin Kensrue; CCLI#7004659
Blessed Assurance | Words: Fanny Crosby; Music: Phoebe Knapp; CCLI#22324
I Waited Patiently | Chris Weldon, Alex Fleeman, Corey Fleeman