What Is Worship Anyway?

Benediction

In our clamoring for God's blessings, do we miss the purpose of them - to be sent out to bless others?

Date: Sunday, August 22, 2010

Speaker: Bart Garrett

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Ps 67: 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make his face shine on us—     2 so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.  3 May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity, and guide the nations of the earth.  5 May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  6 The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.  7 May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Sacrament

The Passover tells a story of God as our Judge and Redeemer

Date: Sunday, August 15, 2010

Speaker: Jonathan St. Clair

Text: From Exodus 12

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Ex 12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt,
        3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.
        6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.
       11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover. 12 'On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.  
       21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, 'Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. 24 'Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' 27 then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.' ' Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

Scripture

A love poem to the Law of God? What does the acrostic of Psalm 119 have to say to us about His Word?

Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010

Speaker: Bart Garrett

Text: Psalm 119: 32, 105-112

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Ps 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word. 108 Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

Offering

Psalm 96 shows us the gratitude of the heart

Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010

Speaker: Bart Garrett

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1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. 9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his [a] holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. 13 Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Prayer

What does God really say about prayer?

Date: Sunday, July 25, 2010

Speaker: Jonathan St. Clair

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1 LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!  2 Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.'   3 But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head high.  4 I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.  5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.  6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.  7 Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.  8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

What About When You Don't Want To Worship?

moving through times of spiritual dryness and depression

Date: Sunday, July 4, 2010

Speaker: Brent Webster

Text: Psalm 42 and 43

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Psalm 42:1  As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?  3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"  4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.  5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.  7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.  8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me; a prayer to the God of my life.  9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"  10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"  11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43:1 Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation.  Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.  2 You are God my stronghold.  Why have you rejected me?  Why must I go about mourning,     oppressed by the enemy?  3 Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.     4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.  I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.  5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalms, Hymns, and Songs

Psalm 47 teaches us that if we know God as King, we will have a song to sing

Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010

Speaker: Bart Garrett

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1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 For the LORD Most High is awesome, ?the great King over all the earth. 3 He subdued nations under us, ?peoples under our feet. 4 He chose our inheritance for us, ?the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, ?the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; ?sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth; ?sing to him a psalm of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations; ?God is seated on his holy throne. 9 The nobles of the nations assemble ?as the people of the God of Abraham, ?for the kings of the earth belong to God; ?he is greatly exalted.

Confession of Sin

Psalm 51 teaches us about confession and restoration

Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010

Speaker: Bart Garrett

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1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. 18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Confession of Faith

What does Psalm 121 teach us about our faith and God's faithfulness?

Date: Sunday, June 13, 2010

Speaker: Jonathan St. Clair

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1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Called to Worship

a look at Psalm 95, and how it calls us to gather together for the worship of God

Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010

Speaker: Jonathan St. Clair

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1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
8 "Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, 'They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.'
11 So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"