February 21, 2016 Fellowship Hall Service 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.

Transcription

1 February 21, 2016 Fellowship Hall Service 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.

2 Order of Worship Welcome and greetings Joe Novenson, senior teaching pastor *Responsive call to worship taken from Ephesians 1:3-8 and Psalm 97:12 Leader: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. All: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Leader: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. All: Therefore, rejoice in the LORD, those who are righteous, and praise his holy name. *Hymn of praise Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee, casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee, who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see, only thou art holy; there is none beside thee perfect in pow r, in love, and purity. words by Reginald Heber, 1826 *Prayer of adoration

3 Affirmation of faith (11:00) The Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. Call to confession James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it he will be blessed in what he does. Hymn of confession (11:00) God Be Merciful to Me God, be merciful to me, on thy grace I rest my plea; plenteous in compassion thou, blot out my transgressions now; wash me, make me pure within; cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin. My transgressions I confess, grief and guilt my soul oppress; I have sinned against thy grace and provoked thee to thy face; I confess thy judgment just; speechless, I thy mercy trust. Broken, humbled to the dust by thy wrath and judgment just, let my contrite heart rejoice and in gladness hear thy voice; from my sins O hide thy face; blot them out in boundless grace. Gracious God, my heart renew, make my spirit right and true; cast me not away from thee, let thy Spirit dwell in me; thy salvation's joy impart; steadfast make my willing heart. Words: The Psalter, 1912 Silent prayers of confession

4 Assurance of God s pardoning grace taken from 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10 As we come to him, the living Stone rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him we also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God; once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. *Hymn of assurance Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder Let us love and sing and wonder, let us praise the Savior's name, he has hushed the law s loud thunder, he has quenched Mount Sinai s flame, he has washed us with his blood (3x), he has brought us nigh to God. Let us love the Lord who bought us, pitied us when enemies, called us by his grace and taught us; gave us ears and gave us eyes, he has washed us with his blood (3x), he presents our souls to God. Let us wonder, grace and justice join and point to mercy s store; when through grace in Christ our trust is, justice smiles and asks no more: he who washed us with his blood (3x), has secured our way to God. words by John Newton, 1774 Worship in the giving of God s tithe and our offerings Offertory hymn Across the Lands (Please see opposite page for words and music.) Sacrament of baptism (9:30) Becca & Barrett Johnston bringing Emmaline Jane Johnston *Scripture reading from Daniel 4:19-37 This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. (9:30) Jonathan VanderHart (11:00) Anne Dassow Prayer of preparation for the study of God s Word Sermon Informed or Transformed? Jared Huffman, associate pastor

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6 *Hymn of response Take My Life, and Let It Be Benediction Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise, 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, swift and beautiful for thee. Take my will, and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne, it shall be thy royal throne. Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure-store. Take my self, and I will be ever, only, all for thee, ever, only, all for thee. words by Frances Havergal, 1874 Musicians for this week: David Henry guitar, vocalist Hannah Lutz viola Cassie Gilmore vocalist Megan Wingard vocalist Sam Miller violin Jac Villagonzalo piano Hannah Harris flute James Bevill guitar Celebrating the baptism of Emmaline Jane Johnston at the 9:30 service in the fellowship hall today are her parents, Becca and Barrett Johnston and her grandparents, Beth and Ryan Murphy and Alison and Tripp Johnston. The rosebud in the fellowship hall today is for the birth of David Thomas Cushenbery, born to Lauren and Cush Cushenbery on February 12. The rosebud in the sanctuary today is for the birth of Asher Pierce Wojick, born to Megan and Walter Wojick on February 12.

7 Weekly Announcements This week, Jim Magnuson has joined us as interim director of sanctuary worship and music. We are thankful for his willingness to step out of retirement for a season and serve the church family with his gifts. The LMPC Middle School Choose Your Own Adventure Night will be this Friday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. The focus will be on challenges from our Old Testament studies. RSVP to christie@lmpc.org by this Wednesday, February 24 if you would like to join in the fun. The next event for VIPs, our ministry to mostly retired adults at LMPC and in the community, will be next Sunday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Mount Catholic Church. Brad Sherrill is returning to portray St. Paul in the production Apostle. As a one-man production Mr. Sherrill will present Paul s epic journey found in the Book of Acts. There will be no charge but a small offertory may be taken. LMPC is once again pleased to serve our community by providing a polling site for elections in 2016 for residents of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. Voters should note that we are moving the usual polling location from our main building on North Bragg Avenue to the Jane Harris Youth Building which faces North Watauga Lane. The first polling date for 2016 is Tuesday, March 1. We are delighted to host the Moody Bible Institute Chorale in concert on Sunday evening, March 6 at 6:00 p.m. in the LMPC sanctuary. The concert will include an array of sacred and classical music, and is free and open to the public. Mark your calendars! Mother's Day Out Open Registration for the school year will be held on Thursday, March 10 in the LMPC Conference Room. LMPC families can register from 10:00-11:00 a.m., and members of the community can register from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Space in the program is limited, so make plans to be there. To find out more about happenings at LMPC, visit lmpc.org/news

8 Daniel 4:19-37 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air-- 22 you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. 23 "You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.' 24 "This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue." 28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" 31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." 33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

9 34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" 36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

10 Sermon Notes Informed or Transformed? Daniel 4: Be sure: God cuts us down to turn us around (vv ) 2. Be careful: God's Word can be repeatedly heard but not heeded (vv ) 3. Beware: God's truth can inform our words without transforming our hearts. (vv ) Big Idea: Self-rule is highly resistant to the true King, even in the face of repeated blessings and warnings from God.

11 Elders meet to pray in Pastor Novenson s office at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday morning. If you would like them to pray for you and your specific needs, they welcome you to join them. Children are welcome to participate in all worship services, no matter the age of the child. Worship sheets and crayons are available on the table outside the fellowship hall to help children interact with the sermon. TODAY AT LMPC Sunday, February 21 Morning worship (sanctuary) 8:10, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Morning worship (fellowship hall) 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Nursery 8:10, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Sunday school for all ages (various locations) 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Communicant class (JHYB) 9:30, 11:00 a.m. Intro to LMPC (Conference Room) 11:00 a.m. Officer training (Reception Room) 4:00 p.m. Middle school small groups (various homes) 4:15 p.m. Evening worship with Communion (chapel) 6:00 p.m. High school youth group (JHYB) 7:30 p.m. For more events this week, visit lmpc.org/calendar or check the calendar in the hallway outside the sanctuary.

12 Our mission: glorifying God by growing in grace and giving our lives away on the mountain, in the city, and around the world. 316 North Bragg Avenue Lookout Mountain, TN lmpc.org