City Reformed PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Sunday Morning Service February 19, 2017
Welcome to City Reformed Presbyterian Church We are glad to have you join us for worship today. We expect that many people who are with us may not be familiar with the way our worship service is structured. We have attempted to explain as much as possible in the bulletin. More information is available on our website: www.cityreformed.org. What kind of Church is City Reformed? - We believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Its message centers on the good news ( gospel ) of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The gospel compels us to engage the city around us, it calls us to renew our minds, it draws us together to be the family of God, and it directs our worship to the living God. - We are linked to the historic Protestant church ( Evangelical ) & to other Christians throughout the world. - We are a part of a denomination called the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). www.pcanet.org. What happens on Sundays? May - August: Oakland location: (Lord s Supper on the 1st Sunday of the Month) 10:15 AM Worship Service (Children s Church for kids 4-7) 11:45 AM Food & fellowship September - April: Oakland location: (Lord s Supper on the 1st Sunday of the Month) 9:15 AM Worship Service 10:00 AM Christian Education (all ages) - Building a Christian World View (Adult) - Creation, Fall, Redemption: Who is God? Who Am I? and Where Are We Headed? (Adult) 10:45 AM Coffee & Fellowship 11:15 AM Worship Service (Children s Church for kids 4-7) 12:45 PM Food & Fellowship All year: Squirrel Hill location: (Lord s Supper on the 3rd Sunday of the Month) 6:30 PM Worship Service 8:00 PM Grill the Preacher Q&A, food and fellowship Are there programs for my children? May- August: Nursery for children infant- 4 is offered during the service. During the service children 4-7 have the option to be dismissed to attend Children s Church. September- April: Nursery for children infant-4 is offered during both services and Christian Education. We have a full Christian Education Program for children of all ages at 10:00 am. Families that go to the 9:15am service have the option to dismiss their children to attend Christian Education during the sermon. During the 11:15 service children 4-7 have the option to be dismissed to attend Children s Church. Please talk to an usher or greeter if you have any questions about the nursery. Where can I park my car? On Sunday mornings, the metered parking is free and there are usually many open spots on the street. How do I connect? We would love to get to know you! Please join us for a time of fellowship and refreshments after the worship services. If you would like to contact a pastor please email: rob@cityreformed.org. The best way to meet other members of our congregation is to visit one of our community groups (listed on page 9). The groups are always open for visitors, and brand new groups form throughout the year. Finally, be sure to stop by the welcome table for more information.
City Reformed Presbyterian Church Sunday Morning Worship February 19, 2017 Dread not the things that are ahead The burdens great the sinking sands The thorns that o er the path are spread God holds the future in His hands - Bill Monroe, God Holds the Future in His Hands 1
Worship Service Presider: Reverend Joseph Bianco (9:15) Elder Jim Partridge (11:15) Please stand for the call to worship if you are able. Call to Worship: Psalm 121 Leader: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? People: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Leader: He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. People: Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Leader: The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. People: The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. Leader: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. People: The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? For my cleansing this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my pardon this my plea, O precious is the flow That makes me white as snow No other fount I know, Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Not of good that I have done, This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Prayer of Invocation In Christ Alone In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light my strength my song This Cornerstone this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love what depths of peace When fears are stilled when strivings cease My Comforter my all in all Here in the love of Christ I stand 2
In Christ alone who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless Babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For ev ry sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious day Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin s curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ No guilt in life no fear in death This is the pow r of Christ in me From life s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No pow r of hell no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand Til He returns or calls me home Here in the pow r of Christ I ll stand O Lord You re Beautiful Oh Lord, You re beautiful Your face is all I seek And when Your eyes are on this child Your grace abounds to me Oh Lord, You re merciful Your love is all we need And when Your love is with your church Forgiveness we receive. Call to Confession: Colossians 3:1-3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Prayer of Confession Father, we confess to you that we have often set our sights too low. We have focused on money, entertaining ourselves, and avoiding pain. Like animals reacting to stimuli, we have often reacted to our passions and anger and pleasures without thought. Like mice, we have scurried in fear before the powers of this world. Lord, lift up our eyes. We were made in your image, for something far greater. Your kingdom is an eternal and glorious kingdom, populated by people from every language, and tribe and nation. You have planned all history to culminate in your glorious city, the New Jerusalem, and we play a role in that story. All creation cries out to praise you, the Holy One. Change us, O Lord, to remember that our citizenship is in heaven and we are not mere animals or slaves of this world, for you have redeemed us through the blood of your Son. We praise you, for you alone are worthy for us to fix our eyes on. Amen. Silent Confession Assurance of Pardon: Colossians 1:13-14 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. 3
Membership Vows: Mauro & Carla Ferreira Baptism: Daniel Ferreira Question to the Congregation: Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child? Testimony: Ashley Reid Song of Renewal During this song we will pass offering bags through the congregation. We ask that our members and regular attendees will thoughtfully consider their contribution as an act of worship - a response to God s grace in our lives. Those who are not a regular part of our church are not expected to participate in the offering. Psalm 51:10-12 (Create In Me A Clean Heart) Create in me a clean heart, oh God, And renew a right spirit within me. Repeat Cast me not away from thy presence, oh Lord. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. And renew a right spirit within me Repeat song Additional Scripture Isaiah 13:1,9-10 The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw...behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Mark 14:61-62 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Luke 21:20-21 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it... Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Corporate & Pastoral Prayer *At this time, children ages 4-7 may be dismissed for children s church. The leaders will take the children to children s church and then back to the worship service after the sermon. Children s Song of the Month: Oh God Our Help In Ages 4
Sermon The Gospel of Mark 9-16: The Servant and the Cross Mark 13:1-37 1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings! 2 And Jesus said to him, Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. 3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished? 5 And Jesus began to say to them, See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, I am he! and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! or Look, there he is! do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. Be On Guard: Ongoing Trouble, Jerusalem Destroyed and the End of the World -Reverend Matthew Koerber 5
Creedal Response: Heidelberg Catechism #1 Q. What is your only comfort, in life and in death? A. That I belong body and soul, in life and in death not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. Please stand for the final songs if you are able. Songs of Thanksgiving: The Lion And The Lamb He s coming on the clouds Kings and kingdoms will bow down And every chain will break As broken hearts declare His praise For who can stop the Lord almighty Our God is the Lion The Lion of Judah He s roaring with power And fighting our battles And every knee will bow before Him Our God is the Lamb The Lamb that was slain For the sin of the world His blood breaks the chains And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb And every knee will bow before Him So open up the gates Make way before the King of kings Our God who comes to save Is here to set the captives free For who can stop the Lord almighty Who can stop the Lord almighty Who can stop the Lord almighty Repeat 6
How Deep The Father s Love For Us How deep the Father s love for us, How vast beyond all measure, That he should give his only Son To make a wretch his treasure. How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns his face away, As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory. Behold the man upon a cross, My sin upon his shoulders; Ashamed I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held him there Until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished. I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer, But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom Prayer Announcements *At the beginning of announcements parents are dismissed to get their children from nursery. Benediction Tonight s Evening Service: Reverend Joseph Bianco will preach Christ s Rejection, Our Satisfaction on John 7:25-39. Communion will be held during the Evening Service. Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer, But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom 7