Welcome/Call To Worship: Psalm 145
•GREAT ARE YOU LORD
•YOUR GRACE
•JESUS, I AM RESTING
Sermon: Isaiah 44
Communion [Hab 3:2, Rom 12:1, 1 Cor 11:26]
•JESUS, ONLY JESUS
•JESUS!
20 June: Tuesday Refocus
Spurgeon said, ‘The most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the Gospel.’ Why? Because we are forgetful people. Scripture is full of commands to ‘remember.’ And full of examples of those who forget – no sooner does Israel step foot out of 400 years of slavery do they long for the ‘comforts’ of their former bondage (Exodus 16). After Joshua dies, a whole generation is lost to idol worship because those older failed to pass along the works of the Lord (Judges 2). Paul reminds the church in Galatia not to submit to a yoke of slavery – because they had forgotten their true identity as children of God.
The Gospel – the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done demands a response: worship. So we want to use our liturgy to remind people of the Gospel. To rehearse the old old story – that God is the Author of CREATION, at the FALL we sinned and as a result all things were broken and distorted, but God promised REDEMPTION which is accomplished in and through the work of Christ on the cross, RESTORATION with God and one another is won for us in that completed work, and one day we will be fully GLORIFIED – perfected as we sing and celebrate the Gospel story in the very presence of God for all eternity.
There is nothing more essential, or of greater significance we can offer those we are leading and serving than to help tell the Gospel story. Over the last several months all of the people who have been putting set lists together have been using this Gospel pattern – Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration, Glorification in the structure and order of our songs. So as you practice, think and prepare for Sundays – rehearse the gospel again and again and again – because ‘…we never move on from the cross, only into a deeper understanding of it.’
Rehearsing and Remembering,
AB
13 June: Tuesday Refocus
“Liturgy is education.” – William Willimon
What is liturgy? It is the work of the people, the structure, rhythms, purpose and intention behind our gathering. And over the next couple of weeks I want to walk you through our liturgy at Cornerstone - what we do, and why we do it.
Why is liturgy important? Because a gospel-centered liturgy runs counter to the liturgy of the culture, reeducating, reforming, reshaping us under the authority of God’s Word, by the power of God’s Spirit, as God’s people. Liturgy is education.
Liturgy connects us to a larger story… As we gather, we join the saints and angels in the very presence of God, all of heaven, every nation, those who have gone before and those who will come after in seeing and responding to our God (Rev 5:11-12, Neh 9:6, 1 Pet 2:9, Phil 2:10-11). Using the Word, prayers, and songs that have stirred wonder and worship in God’s people past, and will continue long after we are gone. It shapes how we gather, how we are sent and how we engage on mission together. Liturgy is connecting.
And liturgy sets a framework of long-term discipleship, ensuring a balanced diet of understanding and expression (more on this in the weeks to come). It allows those mature in their faith as well as those exploring faith, and those who are mourning as well as those who are celebrating to enter in, engage, and respond to God’s revelation of Himself. Liturgy is discipleship.
Growing together,
AB
Set List - June 11
Welcome/Call to Worship: Psalm 89:1-4
- THERE IS A FOUNTAIN
- THIS I BELIEVE (THE CREED)
- YOUR GRACE
Sermon
Communion: THERE IS A REDEEMER
Revelation 12:10-11
- NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD
- Tag: My life is an offering to You, I lay it down, lay it down (Rom 12:1)
- AS FOR ME
6 June: Tuesday Refocus
‘I was made by Love, for love and to love – I will fulfill my destiny.’ – E. Stanley Jones
Our one true calling: to love.
Your gifts are not an end in and of themselves, but an opportunity to exercise love.
You are only walking in your calling with your time, talents, relationships and resources when those things are done because of Love, by love and to love.
‘If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.’ – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love well. And use all you have and all you are – including your musical, vocal, and technical abilities to have God’s love perfected in you (1 John 4:12).
Love,
AB
Set List - June 4
Welcome/Call to Worship: Isaiah 6:1-5
Corporate Confession:
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. [Worship Sourcebook]
- I LOVE YOU LORD
- ALWAYS
- YOUR GRACE [new song]
- I STAND AMAZED (HOW MARVELOUS) [chorus tag]
SERMON
COMMUNION
- HERE IS LOVE
Romans 8:35-39
- RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)
30 May: Tuesday Refocus
‘Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.’ – Brennan Manning
We live in a world of identity crisis, defined by what we do, where we’re from, our education, relationships, goals, talents and skills. Christ followers are not immune, but before any secondary identifiers, we have a primary identity: loved by God.
When we see ourselves accurately as one loved by God, we begin to see others accurately as well. To be loved much is to love much (Lk 7:47).
What I pray our time in 1 John does for each of us is help to reframe our understanding of who we are, and why we serve. We serve as those who are loved, we serve from love, we serve because of Love.
‘Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.’ Colossians 3:14 [CSB]
From love,
AB
Set List - May 21
Welcome/Call To Worship: Psalm 139:1-18,23-24
THIS IS AMAZING GRACE
PRAISE TO THE LORD
Giving
JESUS I AM RESTING
Dedication
Sermon: 1 John 2:18-3:10
Confession/Assurance
Communion
MAN OF SORROW - Traditional
JESUS!
16 May: Tuesday Refocus
"Oh, if you would follow Christ, be not content with the world's Christianity! Tremble, tremble and repent." - J.C. Ryle
The most beautiful leading does not put songs or talent, clever showmanship or impressive production on display - it says 'come and see what I have seen.' And we can only say 'come and see,' when we have first seen. When we have gazed upon the beauty of the Lord and inquired in His temple (Ps 27:4).
The world's Christianity never makes you tremble. The world's Christianity never asks you to repent. The world's Christianity never says 'look,' because it has never truly seen.
Be not content with leading a song that you have not first dug in deep with His Word and His Spirit... because true sight is seeing, believing and knowing that there is more to be seen than the world sees.
Seeing,
AB
Set List - May 14
Welcome/Call To Worship: Ephesians 2:19-22
THIS I BELIEVE (THE CREED)
THE APOSTLE'S CREED
Giving
JESUS I AM RESTING
Dedication
Sermon
JESUS, ONLY JESUS
Baptisms
LAY ME DOWN
9 May: Tuesday Refocus
‘Worship is wanting to be a tool in the hand of God for Him to do with as He pleases.’ – Rich Mullins
We understand that worship is more than a song.
And conceptually grasp that worship is all of life… but when we are in the trenches of relationships, work, class, ministry and mission – do our lives reflect being a tool in the hand of God to be used however He pleases? What would that even look like?
I think it looks like, living as Christ – and dying as gain (Phil 1:21).
And how did Christ live? Emptying Himself, taking the form of a servant, humbling Himself, and ultimately became obedient to death (Phil 2:7-8).
So when you feel poured out in your Gospel Community, in the investment in your children, in your course work… empty yourself as Christ emptied Himself – as an act of worship.
When people take advantage and do not appreciate you… serve as Christ served – as an act of worship.
When pride tells you that you are not being treated as well as you deserve… humble yourself as Christ humbled Himself – as an act of worship.
And when you’re tempted to take the self-serving, easy way out… become obedient to death as Christ became obedient – because, for us, death is gain.
To serve,
AB
2 May: Tuesday Refocus
‘Too many people are singing songs they’ve learned instead of songs they’ve lived.’ – Henry Seeley
Your most effective leading of God’s people will never be the songs you lead on Sunday… but it is in the songs you live. Your most effective leading is offering not just your song, but your life in worship – which ultimately rises in a sacrifice of praise when we put on an instrument or stand behind a microphone (Rom 12, Heb 13:15).
Anyone can learn a song – melody, lyric, chords, parts and dynamics. But if your desire is to truly lead, your life will be marked by the scars of the secret place – because make no mistake if you lean into leading, God will use His Word, His Spirit and His people to allow you the gift of living the songs you sing… ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling…’ ‘…turning tragedy to triumph, turning agony to praise, there is blessing in the battle…’ ‘…I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm, my help is on the way…’ ‘…All I have needed Thy hand hath provided…’
And as we lose our lives on the altar of this worship – we find our lives and lead other people toward Life (Matt 16:25).
Live,
AB