To help guide in worship during this week

Weekly WOrship Guide

Last week, in Romans 4:9-12, we saw that the sign of circumcision came to Abraham 14 years after he was saved. Abraham was saved when he believed God’s promise, when he took God at His word. In verses 13-17, Paul puts law and faith opposite each other to heighten the importance of righteousness by faith. Dr. Barnhouse says, “When Abraham was justified before God, he had no law, and he had no ceremony or sign; he had nothing but faith. This shows us very clearly, then, that faith does not depend on anything other than the pure and unadulterated grace of God.” Again, we can ask, “why does Paul keep beating the drum of Justification by faith?” For one, it is because “justification by faith” is key to the Christian faith. The fundamental nature of being a Christian is found in the word justification. We become Christians when we are justified. Secondly, Paul does not assume that his readers have grasped what it means, and what impact it will have on their lives. If you read parallel discussion of justification by faith in Galatians (2:11-ff), you see how Peter needed to learn more about what it means to be justified by faith. If Peter needed to learn more about Justification by faith, so do we! Paul gives us his main point (God’s promise comes through faith not through the Law.) in verse 13. “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” Paul will develop his main point in verses 14-17 by looking at the negative and positive sides of receiving the promises of God through faith. I want to speak to the positive side of his main point in verse 16. “That is why (the ineffectiveness of the law) it (salvation and inheritance) depends on faith, in order that the promise (justification and inheritance) may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adher-ent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.” The promise of God’s for-giveness, His salvation and all that goes with it comes because of grace. What is grace? It is God’s undeserved favor given to people. God does not play fair with those who have faith in Him and what He has accomplished. He gives people of faith what they do not deserve. Why must God’s promise be according to grace? If it was according to law, then salvation would demand total obedience. The law says, “you shall” and no one ever has. God’s promise needs to be according to grace to “guarantee” it’s success. Promise says, “I will” and He always has. It is crucial that we can distinguish between the law and the promise. Law demands our obedience, but promise demands our faith. Can you tell the difference between law and promise? Many people believe they are a Christian because they made a promise to be good, or to live for Jesus, or to really repent. Those things are important but are not the essence of what it means to be a Christian. That is the law. To become a Christian is to believe in the promise of God that He has made you righteous. It doesn’t mean you suddenly stop sinning. It means God doesn’t view you the same way anymore. It means your sins can no longer bring you into condemnation. It means you’re ac-cepted. It means you’re righteous in God’s sight. That’s a promise.

Reflection:

Pastor Bert

Preparation for sunday June 4th

Sermon Series: Romans: The Gospel of God

Title:   "Faith Procures God’s Promises"

Passage:  Romans 4:13-17


Reflection  for Sunday: Romans 4:13-17


Application  for Sunday:  The promise of salvation—is of grace, and relies on God’s promise-keeping power, not our performance. This enables us to live without fear of the future, and without anxiety at our failings. Does this truth challenge the way you see yourself and your life? Explain.


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Sunday June 4th

worship focus

Leader: Lauri

“saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” - Revelation 5:12

  • this is the day

    Link to YouTube for this week's song 1 of worship

  •                                                     worthy worthy

    Link to YouTube for this week's song 2 of worship

  • jesus you alone

    Link to YouTube for this week's song 3 of worship

Connect Church Prayer Gram

may 28th, 2023


“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,”     1 Timothy 2:1


 

Call to Worship: Hear God call you to worship through His Word: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Psalms 8:1


Prayer of Adoration: Pray this praise to God: O Lord, we desire to adore your name, which is excellent in all the earth, and whose glory is above the heavens. You are the maker and disposer of all things; and for your sovereign pleasure it is that they still exist and were at first created. Your hands have made and fashioned us; and all that we enjoy comes from you. As we are the workmanship of your power, anew in Christ Jesus, unto holiness and true righteousness. Give proof that you have found us for yourself, by causing us to show forth praise, and by making us to live to glory, as we every day live upon your bounty. Amen. ~Augustus Toplady


Confession of Sin: Confess your sins to God: Almighty and most merciful Father, you hate nothing that you have made, nor desire the death of a sinner—look down with mercy upon me, and grant that I may turn from my wickedness and live. Forgive the days and years that which I have passed in folly, idleness, and sin. Fill me with such sorrow for the time misspent, that I may amend my life according to your holy Word; strengthen me against habitual idleness, and enable me to direct my thoughts to the performance of every duty; that while I live I may serve you in the state to which you have called me, and at last by a holy and happy death be delivered from the struggles and sorrows of this life, and obtain eternal happiness by your mercy, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~Samuel Johnson


Assurance of Pardon: Receive these words of comfort from God: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2


If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive

us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make

him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

 

Pray for those in local, state, and national offices.

 

Pray for our partners in Spain



Panta ta Ethne (Matthew 28:19 “all nations”): Yahudic Jew in Israel

 

Persecuted Church: Algeria & Mauritania