CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

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1 The Celtic Cross is an ancient Christian symbol. The cross proper recalls the death of Christ for the sins of his people, while the circle is a historic symbol of God s eternal nature. Jesus name is at the center, depicted by the Greek letters Ιης and is surrounded by the vine and branches, representing our relationship to Him. At the bottom, CHRISTUS VICTOR, Christ is Victorious, testifies to his triumph over sin and death on the cross. This Celtic cross is used by permission of Saint Paul s Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. Each of the five panels represents a significant event in Christ s life. Exalting Christ through Worship, Learning, Community, and Outreach HIS REIGN The wounded lamb as Christ reclining on the book of seven seals is a historic symbol of the reigning Christ. The threerayed nimbus is an ancient symbol of deity. (Revelation 5:9-12) HIS RESURRECTION Lilies traditionally represent the resurrection; the trumpet heralds Christ s certain and triumphal return. (1 Corinthians 15:54; Matthew 24:31; Luke 12:27) HIS ATONEMENT The crown of thorns and nails testify to Christ s sacrificial death on the cross. (Hebrews 2:17: John 19:2; 20:27) HIS BAPTISM The dove and tongues of fire symbolically portray the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:10; Acts 2:3) HIS INCARNATION The open Bible is the Word of God. The double lighted candlesticks represent the dual nature of Christ his deity and his humanity. (John 1:1-14) CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA To all who are spiritually weary and seek rest; to all who mourn and long for comfort; to all who struggle and desire hope; to all who sin and need a Savior; to all who are strangers and yearn for home; to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness; and to whoever will come; this church offers a genuine welcome in the name of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

2 WHAT IS OUR MESSAGE? The great good news is that God has taken it upon Himself to do something for us that we are powerless to do for ourselves. The Gospel is simply this: sinners are forgiven and accepted by God because of the work of Jesus Christ. Trust in Christ s finished work is not just the beginning of the Christian life, but the means and end as well. The Gospel is what must be applied more and more deeply in order to live as a Christian. The power of the Gospel is not merely about forgiveness and improvement, but renewal and wholeness. A GOSPEL-SHAPED MINISTRY WHAT DO WE BELIEVE? We embrace the historic Christian faith believing the timeless truths held in common by the church in all ages and places. We wholeheartedly affirm the classic doctrines defined by the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. The Trinity There is only one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Incarnation The person Jesus Christ is the only Son of God who is both fully God and fully human. The Gospel changes people Through the continual application of the Gospel we become more like Christ. The Atonement Jesus died on a cross and was raised from the dead in order to redeem us from our sins. The Gospel produces joy Grace frees us from both condemnation and self-righteousness to enjoy God fully. The Gospel defines community In union with Christ, we become God s sons and daughters His new people. The Gospel points outward The Gospel informs attitudes The Gospel removes barriers Grace disengages approval seeking, engenders authenticity, and curbs pride. As Christians, we desire the peace and well-being of our communities and cities. Reconciliation humbles us so that we may become agents to reconcile others. The Gospel renews culture All of life matters to God and we are to pursue all vocations with excellence. WHAT DO WE BELIEVE? The Gospel builds momentum Church planting is both the result of and means to fulfilling the great commission. We also embrace the Reformed Christian faith believing the biblical teachings that were restated during the Protestant Reformation. This great renewal of the church in the 16 th century has given us a common heritage in the classic solas. Scripture Alone The Bible is the one source of divine revelation and the only completely reliable guide for faith and life. Christ Alone Salvation is accomplished by the substitutionary atonement of the historical and sinless Christ alone. Grace Alone We are rescued from God s anger, freed from sin s bondage and lifted to new life by His grace alone. Faith Alone God Alone Christ s righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God s justice by faith alone. The sole purpose of our creation and redemption is to enjoy God s presence and live for His glory.

3 CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA IS A CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA Empowered by the Gospel, we aim to experience God s pleasure in fostering true knowledge, holy affection, and faithful obedience through historic worship, gospel renewal, genuine community, and global partnership to the end that God s people are gathered and Christ s Kingdom is extended throughout Ventura County and beyond. OFFICERS Teaching Elder Roy R. Bennett (roy@ojaipca.org) Ruling Elder Robert Glass (rglass@raypak.com) Ruling Elder Eric Halvorson (prof.halvorson@gmail.com) Ruling Elder Roger Phelps (ojai2eyes@aol.com) Deacon David Sveiven (dsevend@yahoo.com) STAFF Chief Musician Tilford Jackson Office Manager Debbie Glass Assistant Office Manager Michelle Hindman CONTACT INFORMATION PO Box 25 Ojai, CA (805) / WORSHIP LOCATION Trinity Lutheran Church 196 N. Ashwood Avenue in Ventura at 4:00 PM ANNOUNCEMENTS EARLYBIRD BIBLE READING Wed. at 6:30 AM Wisdom Literature Coffee Bean and Tea 4360 Main St. in Ventura GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE with Trinity Lutheran Church April 22, at 7:00 PM GUEST SPEAKERS May 8 th Rev. Manuel Padilla Mexico June 12 th Rev. Jason Petterson North Hills July 3 rd Rev. David Stoddard Germany All music reproduction is by permission CCLI# Order for the Celebration & Worship of God PRELUDE Fifth Sunday in Lent: April 10, 2011, 4:00 P.M. WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS SILENT PREPARATION CHORAL INTROIT Unison: Pianist Tilford Jackson Let My Prayer Rise Up Marty Haugen 1990 Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, The lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart. May the light of your love be burning bright. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, The lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to God of All Creator of life; All praise be to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, The lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. 1

4 CALL TO WORSHIP Isaiah 61:10-11 INVITIATORY Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Unison: Great is your mercy and grace, O Lord. You restore the peoples of the earth for your own glory. Come dwell among us in your Son and be glorified in your Church. Come let us adore Him! * HYMN OF PRAISE (Music on page 3 & 4) O God beyond All Praising * PRAYER OF ADORATION Unison: Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners. Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise, that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely be fixed where true joys are to be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. * AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Heidelberg Catechism Q. # What is God s will for you in the ninth commandment? God s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid all lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor s good name. THE CREATION OF CHURCH Why do people in Churches seem like cheerful brainless tourists on a packaged your of the absolute?... On the whole I do not find Christians, outside the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children play on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares. They should lash us to our pews, for the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return. Annie Dillard Teaching a Stone to Talk What is God s will for you in the tenth commandment? That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God's commandments should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. 19

5 * PRAYER OF COMMITMENT Unison: Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior, Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the sacrament of his body and blood. We give you thanks and rejoice in the gospel of our salvation. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O GOD BEYOND ALL PRAISING * BENEDICTION Jude (ESV) Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. DISMISSAL HYMN God of Day, God of Darkness Marty Haugen 1987 God of day and God of darkness, now we stand before the night; As the shadows stretch and deepen, come and make our darkness bright. All creation still is groaning for the dawning of your might, When the Sun of peace and justice fills the earth with radiant light. Show us Christ in one another, make us servants strong and true; Give us all your love of justice, so we do what you would do. Let us call all people holy, let us pledge our lives anew. Make us one with all the lowly, let us all be one in you. Praise to you in day and darkness, you our source and you our end; Praise to you who loves and nurtures us like father, mother, friend; Grant us all a peaceful resting, let each mind and body mend, So we rise refreshed tomorrow, heart renewed to kingdom tend. POSTLUDE Go in peace to love and serve the risen Lord Jesus. Thanks be to God! Pianist Tilford Jackson * Congregation standing 18 3

6 O GOD BEYOND ALL PRAISING continued I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY But can the converted obey these commands perfectly? No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some, of God s commandments. No one in this life can obey the ten commands perfectly, why then does God want them preached so pointedly? First, so that the longer we live the more we may come to know our sinfulness and the more eagerly look to Christ for forgiveness of sins and righteousness. Second, so that, while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we may never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God's image, until after this life we reach the goal: perfection. 4 17

7 BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Acts 20:17-35 (ESV) VERSE 1 Behold the Lamb of God, behold the lamb of God, Who carries our burden, who knows our pain, Who bears the sins of the world. CHORUS: Behold the Lamb of God, behold the Lamb of God. Jesus, Jesus is the Lamb of God. VERSE 2 Surely he has borne our grief and carried the sorrows of us all. Struck down in our stead, rejected and scorned, And by his wounds we are healed. CHORUS: VERSE 3 Father, forgive them, they do not understand. They do not understand what they do. CHORUS: VERSE 4 The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of Christ. And he shall reign for endless days. Worthy is the Lamb. CHORUS: 20: 17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them: You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. COMMUNION HYMN (Music on page 17) 16 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say Indelible Grace The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God! * HYMN OF TRUST (Music on page 6) The Old Rugged Cross 5

8 THE OLD RUGGED CROSS THE LORD'S SUPPER Christ our Passover, sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast! The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to the Lord! (People are encouraged to come forward to receive the sacrament and to repent and rejoice as the sacrament is observed. The wafer is to be dipped into the wine.) * Please leave room at the right hand rail for our musicians to receive the Lord s Supper first, before they return to lead our congregational communion songs. COMMUNION MUSIC (Lyrics on page 16) Behold the Lamb of God Robert J. Dufford 6 15

9 PRAYER OF APPROACH Unison: We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord, whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, that we may so partake of this bread and wine that our sinful bodies may be made clean by Christ s body and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. AGNUS DEI John 1:29 Marty Haugen 1987 LENTON PRAYERS Unison: Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon us with the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve you in holiness and righteousness all our days, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Give us grace to confess Jesus as Lord and believe he rose from death. Lead us daily to suffer for your sake and to fulfill your purpose. Help us to place our confidence in you and your power to heal. Challenge us not to limit you, but to know, love, and serve you better. Give us courage to answer your call to repentance and change. Cause us to use your good name and share your gifts with others. Speak to each person the word that is needed and lead us to obey. PRAYER OF THE SAINTS Unison: Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. 14 * HYMN OF JOY (Music on page 8) What Wondrous Love Is This 7

10 WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS PRAYER OF CONSECRATION WORDS OF INSTITUTION 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION Marty Haugen

11 SANCTUS Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 118:26 * NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Ephesians 3:7-13 (ESV) 3 :7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. The Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God! PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION AFTERNOON SERMON PASTORAL PRAYER OFFERTORY OFFERTORY DOXOLOGY The Grace of Preaching Rev. Roy R Bennett PRAYER OF DEDICATION Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 9

12 SERMON NOTES CONFESSION OF SIN Unison: Merciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God. Have mercy on us, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us away from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit. ASSURANCE OF PARDON 1 Jn. 2:2; Rom. 5:20; 8:1; Rev. 22:17 Hear what the Lord says, concerning the pardon of repentant sinners: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more. The Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you! And also with you! Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord! It is good and right so to do. It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise. O God our Creator and Redeemer, in your wisdom, you made all things and sustain them by your power. Baptized as your own, Jesus went willingly to his death and by your power was raised to new life. In his dying and rising, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with the host of angels and all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to your glory, 10 11