Take a few minutes to read through the worship order, read Sunday's sermon passage, and pray for US as we prepare to gather as His Body this coming Sunday morning.
Preparing Your Heart for Worship - February 18, 2018
We return to our study through Romans this week. This is really the “big turn” in Romans. After 11 chapters expounding the gospel of God’s grace, Paul turns to explain in great detail how we are to live out the rich theological truths of the gospel. This is where it gets practical!
Call to Worship
This is a call to the gathered Body to turn away from the cares of daily life and focus our mind’s attention and heart’s affection on Christ. The goal is to set aside the distractions we face daily and exalt our great God together.
This Is Amazing Grace
While the Isaac Watts song “Amazing Grace” is a favorite hymn of many, this song puts forth a similar theme in a very “declare His glory (Psalm 96)” way. As we begin our time celebrating the gospel, this song is a fantastic expression of all that He has done for US.
Cornerstone
This is the old hymn “The Solid Rock,” with a new tune and chorus. While I really love the original (I’d be happy singing it every week), this new version is great too. The new chorus expresses beautiful Biblical truths.
Prayer of Praise
This prayer reflects our desire to tighten our focus (moving further in to the center of the “hourglass”) on praising the Lord for who He is and what He has done for US.
Bringing Tithes and Offerings
Giving of our resources is an act of worship. This time in our service, accompanied by our choir singing about God’s awesome love for US, is an opportunity to worship Him by giving back a portion of what He has blessed each of us with financially.
My Jesus, I Love Thee and Knowing You
These two songs express the change that the gospel has brought in our lives.
In the first song, we’ll sing For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. This is a great encapsulation of how the gospel changes the details of how we live our lives. The second song should be the cry of our heart - Knowing You, Jesus knowing you - there is no greater thing. These two songs express both the heart attitude and the outward response of a life changed by the love of Christ.
Catechism
This week, one of our families will quote question 6 (How can we glorify God?) and we’ll read question 7 (What Does the Law of God require?). Both questions lead perfectly into the sermon passage for the day - God’s timing is so awesome!
Sermon: A Life of Worship, Romans 12:1-2
Read through Romans 12:1-2 several times between now and Sunday morning and think through the following questions so that we can all make the most of our time together:
• What is Paul appealing to as he begins this second half of Romans?
• What do you know about the Old Testament sacrificial system?
• What are we to present to God as a sacrifice?
• What does it mean to be conformed to this world?
• How are we to be changed?
• How would Paul have us discern God’s will?
• How does Paul describe God’s will?
Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated
As we sat down earlier this week to plan our worship gathering, this was the first song that came to mind. We always begin our worship planning session by reading the sermon passage - and this song came to mind immediately. Read these words and be prepared to sing them as a prayer of consecration together. They’re beautiful!
(the tune on the video is different - this is NOT how we'll sing it Sunday, we'll sing the traditional tune, but it's a beautiful version of the song)
(the tune on the video is different - this is NOT how we'll sing it Sunday, we'll sing the traditional tune, but it's a beautiful version of the song)
Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days. Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold – not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose
Take my will and make it Thine – it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine own and it shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love my Lord I pour. At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever only all for Thee
As always, be in prayer for:
• Rex, the worship team, and choirs as they prepare to lead us in singing.
• Pray that we all come together on Sunday with hearts prepared to engage in intense, focused exaltation of God.
• Pray that we are obedient to God’s commands and strive for the unity He has called us to.
• Pray for me as I prepare to preach God’s inspired, inerrant, sufficient, authoritative Word.
Rob
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