WORSHIP TOGETHER

WELCOME AND CALL TO WORSHIP

GOD, ALL NATURE SINGS THY GLORY

God, all nature sings thy glory,
and thy works proclaim thy might;
Ordered vastness in the heavens,
ordered course of day and night;
Beauty in the changing seasons,
beauty in the storming sea;
All the changing moods of nature
praise the changeless Trinity.

Clearer still we see thy hand in man
whom thou hast made for thee;
Ruler of creation’s glory,
image of thy majesty.
Music, art, the fruitful garden,
all the labor of his days,
Are the calling of his Maker
to the harvest feast of praise.

But our sins have spoiled thine image;
nature, conscience only serve
As unceasing, grim reminders
of the wrath which we deserve.
Yet thy grace and saving mercy
in thy Word of truth revealed
Claim the praise of all who know thee,
in the blood of Jesus sealed.

God of glory, power, mercy,
all creation praises thee;
We, thy creatures, would adore thee
now and through eternity.
Saved to magnify thy goodness,
grant us strength to do thy will;
With our acts as with our voices
thy commandments to fulfill.

Words: David Clowney, 1960; Music: Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824; © 1960 Intervarsity Christian Fellowship; CCLI License #11029770

GREATER

From him, through him, and to him are all things;
To God be the glory!
His Word endures from beginning to end;
To God be the glory, to God be the glory!

Greater is the One who lives in me;
Greater is the love of Jesus;
Greater than my sin, greater than the grave;
Above all other thrones, above all other names!
Greater—you are greater!

He was, and is, and forever will be;
To God be the glory!
His pow’r in us, his strength for the weak;
To God be the glory, to God be the glory!

Greater is the One who lives in me;
Greater is the love of Jesus;
Greater than my sin, greater than the grave;
Above all other thrones, above all other names!
Greater—you are greater!

Jesus, you reign forever! Jesus, you reign forever!
There’s no one like you; Jesus, you reign!
Jesus, you reign forever! Jesus, you reign forever!
There’s none beside you; Jesus, you reign!

Jesus, you reign forever! Jesus, you reign forever!
There’s no one like you; Jesus, you reign!
Jesus, you reign forever! Jesus, you reign forever!
There’s none beside you; Jesus, you reign!

Greater is the One who lives in me;
Greater is the love of Jesus;
Greater than my sin, greater than the grave;
Above all other thrones, above all other names!

Greater is the One who lives in me;
Greater is the love of Jesus;
Greater than my sin, greater than the grave;
Above all other thrones, above all other names!
Greater—you are greater!

Words/Music: Ben Fielding, Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Matt Redman; © 2014 Hillsong Music Publishing; SDG Publishing; Said And Done Music; Sixsteps Songs; Thankyou Music; Worship Together Music; Alletrop Music; CCLI License #11029770

MINISTRY UPDATE

WOMEN’S CARE TEAM

PASTORAL PRAYER

CONFESSION OF FAITH

HEBREWS 1:1-3

Q. How has God spoken most clearly to us?

A. In Jesus, his Son. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

GIVING

WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD (PSALM 113)

Our Father, he lifts from the ashes,
He raises the poor and the lost;
He seats them to dine at his table,
To feast without money or cost.
The lonely he settles in families,
The barren a mother he makes;
O happy the heart of the stranger
Who’s welcomed by this King of Grace.

Who is like the LORD our God?
Who, with glory, fills the sky,
But humbles himself with the broken to dwell?
Who is like our God?

Though equal to God in his glory,
Christ Jesus became like a slave;
He humbled himself in obedience
To Death, and the Cross, and the Grave.
Victorious, he rose to the highest;
In glory, the Savior was raised.
His name above all names exalted;
The heav’ns and the earth sing his praise!

Who is like the LORD our God?
Who, with glory, fills the sky,
But humbles himself with the broken to dwell?
Who is like our God?

O Saints, fix your eyes on the Savior
And count all your righteousness loss.
Be found in his love and his favor,
And share in his death on the cross;
That all of his power in victory,
Imparted to you may abound,
And sharing the suff’rings of Jesus,
You share in his glory and crown!

Who is like the LORD our God?
Who, with glory, fills the sky,
But humbles himself with the broken to dwell?
Who is like our God?

Who is like the LORD our God?
Who, with glory, fills the sky,
But humbles himself with the broken to dwell?
Who is like our God?

Words: Wendell Kimbrough; Music: Wendell Kimbrough & Bruce Benedict; © 2013 Wendell Kimbrough; CCLI License #11029770

SERMON

SERIES: THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE

SERMON: THE WORD BEFORE THE WORD ABOUT THE WORD

SCRIPTURE: JOHN 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

OUTLINE

Who is Jesus, really?

     The Word is God (1-2)

     The Word does God-only-activity (3-8)

     The Word took the top off the box (9-13)

     The Word became flesh (14-18)

How should I respond to all of this?

ARISE, O GOD, AND SHINE

Arise, O God, and shine
in all thy saving might,
And prosper each design
to spread thy glorious light;
Let healing streams of mercy flow
that all the earth thy truth may know.

Bring distant nations near
to sing thy glorious praise;
Let every people hear
and learn thy holy ways.
Reign, mighty God, assert thy cause,
and govern by thy righteous laws.

Put forth thy glorious power,
that everyone may see
And earth present her store,
in converts born to thee.
God, our own God, his church will bless,
And fill the world with righteousness.

To God, the only Wise,
the one immortal King,
Let hallelujahs rise,
from every living thing;
Let all that breathe, on every coast,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Words: William Hurn; Music: Chris Miner; © 2004 Christopher Miner Music; CCLI License #11029770

BENEDICTION