A NOTE FROM PASTOR MARK:
We recognize that family worship has its unique challenges depending on your family’s size and stage of life. Therefore, we have prepared a complete worship service (below) for our entire church family because we are convinced that Sunday is so much more than a sermon. And this is one way for us to be worshiping the same way even though we are apart.
We suggest that you test the worship and sermon links before you gather your family. After you have done this, we encourage the leader of the house to read the prayers and appoint other readers as necessary to encourage greatest participation.
After the sermon is over, we encourage you to discuss the sermon and ways to live out its application.
The Just Shall Live By Faith (Part 2)
TEXT: HABAKKUK 2:5-20
ONLINE WORSHIP SERVICE (11.22.2020)
CALL TO WORSHIP:
This morning as we gather to worship amidst a new set of restrictions, let’s begin with this truth from Psalm 18….
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalms 18:2
OPENING WORSHIP:
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
prayer of lament:
Psalms 77:1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
The Psalmist here, in the midst of affliction, in the midst of pain, in the midst of wondering where God is at and what he doing, turns to God and focusses on his character and on his deeds. I think that is instructive to us today. In the midst of a world on fire, we need to have our minds and hearts brought back to looking to the Lord, to remember him and his deeds. That is the heart of worship. It is to gaze upon God and respond to his worth. And regardless of the size of our worship team or the kind of response you are led to express today, Christ is meant to be at the center. So let’s bring the focus back to him.
“Heart of Worship”
AFFIRMATION:
Psalms 136 and Revelation 1
Reader: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
Response: for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
All Together:
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
WORSHIP:
“How Deep The Father’s Love For Us”
PRAYER:
Lord, we remind ourselves that the clearest demonstration of your great love for us is what you did on the cross. The suffering you willingly endured in our place is the ground for all of our thanksgiving today.
We thank you that your mercies are new every day!
We thank you that you forgive our sin when we call out to you!
We thank you that we don’t have to earn acceptance with you, because Christ has earned it for us.
We thank you that you meet all of our needs.
We thank you that you are in control in the midst of all the chaos we are experiencing. You are ordering and directing our trials in such a way as to purify our faith, develop our character, and produce hope.
Lord, continue to sustain our faith as we look to you for help.
And now, through the preaching of your word, would you awaken faith in us? Open our hearts to see more of the depth and beauty of your character. And as we see who you are, may we learn to trust and give thanks more.
Amen
READ SERMON TEXT:
Habakkuk 2:5-20
SERMON:
Pastor Mark Kernan
Title: The Just Shall Live By Faith (Part 2)
Main Idea: The just persevere through periods of rampant injustice by trusting in God’s seemingly slow but ever-certain justice.
Sermon Outline:
IV. Living in the Already but not Yet
CLOSING WORSHIP:
“Great Is Thy Faithfulness”