A SERVICE OF WORSHIP

THE LORD’S DAY January 20, 2019

that in everything he might be preeminent Colossians 1:18

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WELCOME TO CHRIST COVENANT CHURCH

We are glad you are here to worship the living God! This worship folder is intended to walk you through the service, as well as provide you with devotional material to take home.

IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

Light takes on many nuances in the Scriptures. At times it is unapproachable while at other times it signifies understanding, righteousness, or life. But, everywhere it is in sharp contrast to darkness. Likewise, Christ stood in sharp contrast to the world and to what the world expected of him. Today we worship our Lord who is both distinct from us and yet near to us, for his light dispels darkness from our hearts.

SERVICE OF WORSHIP — 10:45 a.m.

Announcements and Greeting Scripture Meditation—John 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. Prelude O Christ the Light

Text: Betsy E. George; Music: Nathan C. George, 2016

Call to Worship—Psalm 104:1–4; 31–34

Leader: Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! ALL: You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. Leader: He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. ALL: May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works, who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! Leader: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. ALL: May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

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Congregational Hymn—Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Text: Walter Chalmers Smith, 1867; ST. DENIO Traditional Welsh Hymn Melody

Prayer of Adoration

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Old Testament Reading—Isaiah 2:2–5

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Congregational Psalm—I Will Lift My Voice (Psalm 101)

Text and Music: Nathan C. George, based on Psalm 101

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Confession of Sin—1 Thessalonians 5:4–8

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Assurance of Grace—Colossians 1:11–14

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Giving of Tithes and Offerings Parents, you may escort your pre-school aged children to Children’s Bible Time (B-102) after the collection bag has passed your pew. Thank you.

James 1:17— Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Offertory—With a Voice of Singing

With a voice of singing declare ye this, and let it be heard, Alleluia. Utter it even unto the ends of the earth.

The Lord hath delivered his people, Alleluia. O be joyful in God, all ye lands,

O sing praises to the honor of his name, make his praise to be glorious.

Martin Shaw

Pastoral Prayer

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Congregational Hymn—O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright

Text: St. Ambrose of Milan, 4th Century, Tr. Robert S. Bridges, 1899;

Music: PUER NOBIS NASCITUR, Michael Praetorious, 1609.

Preaching of the Word—John 8:12–30 (p. 894)

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Rev. Kevin DeYoung

Congregational Responsive Reading—Isaiah 60:1–3 Leader: Arise, shine, for your light has come, ALL: and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Leader: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; ALL: but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. Leader: And nations shall come to your light, ALL: and kings to the brightness of your rising.

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Congregational Hymn— #125 Let All Things Now Living

Text: Katherine K Davis, 1939; Music: ASH GROVE, Traditional Welsh melody. Arr. Katherine K. Davis

Benediction

Postlude Assisting in Worship: Preaching Pastor: Rev. Kevin DeYoung; Pastor of Worship: Rev. Nathan George;

Assisting Pastor: Rev. Dave Baxter; Organist: Pam Eash; Pianist: Pamela Mullins; Instrumental Director: Scott Van Patter; Christ Covenant Choir; Soloist: Mary Ann Foltz © All music UBP CCLI # 260344. All Scripture quotes from ESV. Used by permission.

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SERMON NOTES

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SERVICE OF WORSHIP — 6:00 p.m.

Announcements and Greeting

Call to Worship— Psalm 106, T.H. p. 823

Prayer of Invocation

Congregational Hymn— #164 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

New Testament Reading—Acts 7:35–43

"This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.' This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: "'Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.'

Pastoral Prayer, Tithes and Offerings

Congregational Hymn— #461 Not What My Hands Have Done

Preaching of the Word—Exodus 32:1–6 (p. 72)

THE EXCEEDING FORGETFULNESS OF SIN—Rev. Kevin DeYoung

Congregational Hymn— #253 There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

Benediction

Postlude

Assisting in Worship: Preaching Pastor: Rev. Kevin DeYoung; Pastor of Worship: Rev. Nathan George; Assisting Pastor: Rev. Derek Wells; Organist: Pam Eash

© All music UBP CCLI # 260344. All Scripture quotes are from the ESV. Used by permission.

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SERMON NOTES

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THE CHURCH CALENDAR AND EVANGELICAL FEASTS The church has traditionally celebrated certain feasts in order to commemorate and remember portions of the biblical narrative. Through the years the number of feasts grew to burdensome levels. At the time of the Reformation there were close to fifteen major feast days, plus nearly every day marked a "saint's holy life." However, during the time of the Reformation the feast days were reduced to the following: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost. These five "evangelical feasts" were retained for their theological and experiential significance to the gospel story. Even so, it was made clear that we do not observe these days in particular, or any church calendar in general, by mandate. Instead, these, along with other seasons such as Epiphany, Lent, or Maundy Thursday are simply aids to help us to meditate upon how the Lord has worked in redemptive history. After the Continental Reformation, the English Puritans worked for the freedom to gather and worship without "binding the conscience," allowing churches and denominations to construct their services as they saw fit according to the Scriptures. In that effort many Puritan churches removed all feast days and advocated an austere and simple service. At Christ Covenant we joyfully celebrate and design unadorned services that clearly point to our simple, profound faith. At the same time, we take joy in major celebrations which point to the majesty and beauty of Jesus Christ and our "so great a salvation" in him. As the year progresses, we pray that feast days, changing seasons, and different approaches to worship from one week to the next will highlight the many aspects of the gospel story.

THE FREEDOM OF THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE

During the Reformation of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the church worked to find a biblical principle that would guide the way we worship. Two main approaches have become common. The normative principle of worship (typically practiced by Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans) says that whatever is not prohibited in the Scriptures is appropriate, while the regulative principle of worship (embraced by Reformed and Presbyterians) looks to passages such as Leviticus 9 and 10 and concludes that we should worship God only as he explicitly wishes to be worshiped. That is, the elements of corporate worship should be set by Scripture and not according to the "imagination and devices of men" (Westminster Confession of Faith, 21.1). In today's culture many want freedom to mean no rules at all, and yet anarchy is not a suitable replacement for true freedom. For example, a fence on the edge of a cliff provides the freedom for a child to play. Related to congregational worship, the Scriptures present specific ways to please God, a fence. There are clear instructions, limits, and expectations, all of which provide the context for true freedom to please God in worship. This, in fact, is a great gift to his people. While the expressions may differ, we can enter into fellowship with brothers and sisters around the world knowing that we can come before the throne of God through Christ in a way that pleases our heavenly Father. What a privilege! What freedom!

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The body of Christ Covenant meets in communities where people of all ages are welcomed and encouraged to engage through four distinct entry points:

Sunday Worship, Congregational Communities, Covenant Groups, and Small Groups.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Worship Services at 10:45 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

CONGREGATIONAL COMMUNITIES

Senior Adults Community Young Families Community Community of senior adults ages 70+ Community of newly married & young Pastor Bruce Creswell families with children up to age 12

Pastor Derek Wells Young Seniors Community Community of couples & individuals ages 60-70 Young Professionals Community Pastor Bernie Lawrence Community of singles & young married couples

Pastor Dave Baxter Sojourners Community Community of adults ages 45-59 who have 18/22 Generation / College Community college age/young adult children Community of college age adults Pastor Mike Miller Campus Outreach Director Zach Fulginiti

Student Families Community Youth (Middle/High School) Community Community of adults with Youth Ministries Pastor Stewart Neely middle & high school age children Middle School Director David Chambers Pastor Brian Peterson

COVENANT GROUPS

Multi-generational & mixed-gender groups of 10-30 people. Please contact Pastor Brian Peterson.

SMALL GROUPS

Gender-specific groups of 4-10 people. Please contact Teresa Caldwell for women’s groups and Pastor Brian Peterson for men’s groups.