December 5: Liturgy + Set List

in , ,

  • O COME LET US ADORE HIM

    Call to Worship: Psalm 24 - Responsive Reading

    LEADER:

    The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place?

    ALL:
    He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up His soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
    He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek
    Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

    LEADER:

    Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory?

    ALL:
    The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!

    LEADER:

    Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory?

    ALL:
    The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory!

  • JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)

  • LIVING HOPE

    Sermon: Matthew 1:18-25

    God has always desired to be near His people. We see this in the Old Testament, how He dwells among His people in the Tabernacle and the Temple. We see this when Christ becomes incarnate as a human and God dwells with us - Emmanuel. And we see this now through the Holy Spirit, God does not only dwell among His people, or with His people, He dwells in His people. Christ in You, the hope of glory. The is the beauty of the Gospel that sinful people can be near a Holy God because of God’s provision of Himself. Let’s respond together…

  • GOD WITH US

  • HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

    Advent Candle Lighting: Psalm 16:5-11

    BENEDICTION: Brothers and sisters, let us go as those carrying the Light of Christ into the darkness. Let us live as those for whom the lines have fallen in pleasant places, indeed we have a beautiful inheritance in the Lord. Let our hearts be glad, and our beings rejoice, secure in Christ - the One in whose presence there is fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore.

December 5: Psalm 36

in

“Transgression speaks to the wicked  deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;  he has ceased to act wisely and do good. He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good;  he does not reject evil. Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;  your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house,  and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.  Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,  nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.”

PSALM 36

The character of God remains unchanged. We can live without the fear of God, that makes Him no less worthy of our holy fear. We can live as liars and deceivers, that makes God no less True.

His steadfast love extends to the heavens and reaches down to a people in open rebellion, indifference, and apathy. His faithfulness extends to the clouds and toward a faithless people - for He cannot deny Himself.

The refuge of our souls moved toward us when we did not even know we were without shelter. The Light of the World came to the world - and it is in this Light that we see light.

When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul. Let the light of Christ cheer your soul this Advent season. Let His steadfast love anchor you. Let His faithfulness hold you fast. Feast on Christ this Christmas.

Where are the places you have sought shelter this holiday season? From the noise without and within?

Where has the light of Christ led you to see Him more clearly?

To download the full devotional, click here.

November 30: Exodus 3:1-6

in

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.  And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.  And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”  When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”  And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”

EXODUS 3:1-6

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”  So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.  They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.”

EXODUS 10:21-23

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.”

EXODUS 13:21

God always comes looking for us in the dark.

He knows exactly where we are, but He invites us unto Himself.

Foolishly we think that in hiding we will never be found. In hiding in the darkness so thick that it is felt, that there is no light that can illuminate. We echo the Psalmist, ’Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night.’ (Ps 139:11).

But our God is Emmanuel,

God with us,

God among us,

God for us,

God moving close to us.

He illuminates the darkness with Himself - the Light of the World. And He leads us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

During Advent, we remember Christ’s first coming, and we look ahead to His second coming. But how is He coming to you today? How is He inviting you unto Himself? Inviting you to come out of hiding and darkness, and into His light?

To download the full devotional, click here.

November 28: Liturgy + Set List

in , , ,

  • THE KING IS COMING PRELUDE/COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS

    Call to Worship: Psalm 130:5-8

This is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means coming or arrival. We are people who live between two Advents. And in this season we remember the first coming of Christ - His first Advent as a baby. When He took on our flesh as a baby, lived a perfect life, died a death that we deserved, and was raised to life again. And we look forward with longing and expectation to the day of His second Advent - when He will return as King to rule and reign, to wipe every tear and set all things right. So as we sing songs expressing the longing and expectation for Christ first Advent this season, I want you to hold in your mind at the same time His second Advent. Let’s remember His coming, and look ahead to His return.

  • KING OF KINGS

  • O COME, O COME EMMANUEL

    Sermon: Matthew 1:1-17

    If you’re here this morning as a follower of Jesus, the genealogy we read in Matthew is not just a list of names - it is actually your genealogy. Because you have been adopted, grafted into the family of Jesus. Not because of your goodness, or righteousness, but because of the goodness of God. And this family of God is a family that is always, always, always moving toward fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore at the right hand of God. So, family of God, let’s respond join the family song:

  • RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

  • O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

  • Lighting the Advent Candle: Galatians 4:4-7

    Benediction:

    Brothers and sisters, let us go as those carrying the Light of Christ into the darkness. Living as those who have been redeemed from the law, no longer slaves, but as adopted as children, heirs of God in Christ.

November 28: Genesis 1:1-5

in

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning, God.

The One without beginning.

The One who is before all things, and in whom all things hold together.

Before beginnings, before time, before creation, He was there. Lacking nothing, and needing nothing. But the beginningless One begins time by creating out of the formless void, out of the darkness, out of the great deep. He speaks light into existence. His voice is always generative, always creating, always life-giving. His voice pierces the darkness with the light and life of illumination. His voice separates the chaos and brings order. When He speaks, it is so - and it is good.

Maybe the last two years have felt like those days before the beginning for you - formless, void, dark, and deep. This Advent we remember once again, God is not overwhelmed by the darkness of the uncreated. We remember that God is so sovereign, so good, there is nothing that is outside of His ability to redeem, to restore, to bring order where there has been chaos, to bring light and life where there has been darkness and death.

In the creation narrative, only two chapters later we see our first parents make a decision to bring chaos where God has brought order. Adam and Eve bring death where God has brought life. But even this chaos and death cannot thwart the purpose and plan of God. God promises a day when He will once more set all things right. When Light will pierce the darkness of our sin. Where life will flow from One who will die once for all.

Where has God brought life where you have brought death?

Where has God brought order to Your chaos?

As you enter into the chaos of the holiday season, how might you look for the illuminating work of God around you?

To download the full devotional, click here.

Worship + Sabbath

in ,

Sunday has been called the ‘Day of Rest.’ If you hear that as someone who works, serves, or volunteers as a part of a Church staff, or ministry team, you probably laugh - because Sundays can often feel anything but restful for you and your family. But rest is an important rhythm to our lives as followers of Jesus. God created and rested, not because He needed the rest, but because He was modeling for those of us who cultivate His creation the way He invites us to live.

If you work on the Day of Rest, how do you, in fact, rest?

Learn about Sabbath from Scripture. Why was Jesus always breaking man-made rules about the Sabbath? What can we learn about the rhythms of worship and service that we find in the New Testament? Why did God create and model Sabbath? Why was the Sabbath celebration an integral part of the life of His people Israel? What should Sabbath look like for a follower of Jesus now? Sabbath and rest was God’s idea, let’s go to the source to learn and be formed in our understanding.

Read about Sabbath. We can easily assume rest means not doing anything - disconnecting from life and reality. The more I learn about rest and sabbath, the more I see how rest and Sabbath are about cultivating and participating in things that fuel me and give me life. Is binging Netflix truly life-giving to my soul? Probably not. There are many great books on the Sabbath available, some of my favorites have been: The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel, Subversive Sabbath by A.J. Swoboda, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer.

Find sustainable rhythms. We are not infinite, and we are not God. If we are to be in the work of ministry for the long haul, we must find sustainable rhythms by learning to live within the limits of our time, resources, family responsibilities, seasons, and stages of life. Learning to develop other leaders, delegate tasks, and being okay when things that speak more to my ego than the necessity of serving God’s people fall through the cracks are all things that have (and continue) to make space in my life for sustainable rhythms.

Serve from rest. Jesus says, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt 11:28-30)’. If we are to point to the One who gives us rest in our serving and our songs, we must be spending time resting in His presence.

I hope and pray that you are able to rest, and that your service to God’s people is life-giving more than it is soul-sucking.

November 23: Tuesday Refocus

in

‘If Christ is yours, then wealth is yours; He satisfies all your wants.’ - Thomas A Kempis

There is no good thing withheld from the follower of Jesus (Ps 84:11). We are those who live in the reality of knowing that ‘He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him app for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:32).’  We have no need greater than our need to be made right with God - a need that has been met in and through the finished work of Christ.  It was through the poverty of Christ that we have now become rich: ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.’ (2 Cor 8:9).

What wealth could the world offer that could surpass the wealth of being in relationship with the One who need only open His hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing (Ps 145:16)?  

’Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.’ Psalm 90:14

Lord, may we be satisfied with You and in You.  As we enter into the holiday season, may there be nothing we desire outside of and apart from You.  For Your glory and our good, amen.

Satisfied,

AB

November 21: Liturgy + Set List

in , ,

  • BEFORE THE THRONE

    CALL TO WORSHIP: To all who are weary and need rest

    To all who mourn and long for comfort

    To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

    To all who fail and desire strength

    To all who sin and need a Savior

    This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of

    His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the

    Friend of sinners, welcome.

    [10th Presbyterian Call to Worship]

    We gather not as a collection of individuals, but as a people. The people of God standing before the throne of God, to pour out the praises of God. We stand here not because of anything we have done, but because of God’s grace alone.

  • GRACE ALONE

  • COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY

    Sermon: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

  • THERE IS A REDEEMER

    COMMUNION

  • DEATH WAS ARRESTED

    Benediction: Ephesians 3:20-21

Working With Your Pastor

in

Relationships are never easy. They require time, communication, effort, forgiveness, and grace upon grace. The relationship between a worship leader and a pastor has layers of complicated dynamics at play: they are often your boss (your direct manager), your pastor (helping to shepherd your soul as a follower of Jesus), a friend (a relationship that exists outside of merely working together), a mentor (walking with you in personal relationship toward the Lord), and your employer (responsible in some way for your livelihood). These are complex and overlapping circles of relationship. While every person is unique, every relationship specific to the individuals involved, as I reflect on some of the relational pain, as well as evidence of God’s grace in relationships with pastors I have served alongside, here are a few things I hope will benefit you as you seek to work, worship, and serve in relationship with your pastor.

Focus on your own personal holiness. I am often reminded of Robert Murray McCheyne’s exhortation to pastors, ‘The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness.’ I believe this could be true in all our relationships - relationships with our spouses, coworkers, classmates, children, parents, siblings, team, etc. When I am more concerned over my own need to be conformed to the image of Christ, I am far less concerned about the failings of others. We are all in desperate need of the same grace of God. And when we recognize our own need, and gratefully accept God’s grace, how could we be angry, impatient, hostile, or ambivalent toward the same need in others?

You are on the same team as your pastor. A team that is being pulled in different or opposing directions cannot succeed. We must all keep in step with the Spirit personally and as a team. You are not in competition over vision, direction, or time on the platform each weekend. When we are in competition, we are proudly serving our own kingdom, rather than in humility serving Christ’s kingdom. Ed Welch says

‘Prayer is evidence of humility. Prayerlessness means that we neither believe Him, which is pride, nor turn to Him because we prefer to trust ourselves.’ (Ed Welch, Running Scared).

Pray for your pastor. For their own personal holiness, for their walk with the Lord. For wisdom and discernment to lead and serve God’s people well. For protection from the Enemy. Pray for your own heart to know how to love, serve, and encourage your pastor as you serve side by side for the glory of God and the good of His people.

Your pastor needs your support and encouragement. Our pastors carry more things than we realize. How can you speak life and courage into the hearts, and into their ministry? Talk to them, not about them. Assume the best, give grace. Speak well of them in their presence as well as in their absence. Honor God by honoring your leaders.

Relationships take work, but that cannot be work done by a single individual. Healthy relationships will require both people dying to self, and seeking the good of the other. Unfortunately, even within the church, even among those leading and serving the church, this is not always representative of how we interact one with another. Because of our sin, because of the Enemy’s desire to bring disunity and chaos into the Body of Christ, because of our own experience and baggage, we stand in constant need of God’s grace, mercy, and kindness to keep and sustain our relationships.

If you are involved in a relationship with your pastor that is abusive in any way - please seek outside, expert care and counseling. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans: ’If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.’ (Romans 12:18). The sad reality of living in the broken world is that sometimes - even when we have done everything we know to do - it is not possible to live peaceably with all.

If you’re a pastor, here are four things that you worship leader needs from you.

November 16: Tuesday Refocus

in

“Worship is a time where we bring the gods we have made before the God who has made us.” - Gardner C. Taylor

When we gather with God’s people, we do not come to worship, we come already worshiping.  Our lives are a never-ending fountain of praise, adoration, and devotion.  Part of the reason we gather is to have our wrong-worship disrupted and to behold the Creator who is blessed forever (Rom 1:25).  As we worship God we see that we have become like the gods we have made (Ps 115:8), that we have exchanged the truth for a lie and have worshiped created things rather than the Creator (Rom 1:25).  We gather to be reminded:

‘…great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.  Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!’ Psalm 96:4-9  

God as we gather with Your people, may we be reminded that You are the only One worthy of our lives of worship.  May we cast down the idols we have made, may You reveal the hidden objects of our worship and devotion, and in their place would You shine forth more glorious.  In Christ’s name, amen.

At worship,

AB