Greetings, Redeemer Family!

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-
to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
(Rev. 1:5b-6)

This Sunday, Mike will be preaching on Rev. 3:14-21; the letter to the church in Laodicea. Those who lived in this wealthy city considered themselves to be rich; yet the indictment of the Lord is that they are indeed wretched, pitiful, and blind. Laodicea was well-known for producing beautiful cloth for garments, yet the Lord says that they are naked. May we pray together as we prepare our hearts to hear this message that we would not be blind to the places we are in a similar condition!

Our call to worship is a familiar passage from Isaiah 55- a call to come to Jesus to find water that quenches our thirst and food that is free and satisfying- both pictures of the Gospel.

Isaiah 55:1-3a

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;

and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to Me;
hear Me, that your soul may live.”

As we gather for corporate worship, we are indeed rich because of the presence of God, by His Spirit. (Indeed, Zephaniah 3:16-17 reminds us that the Lord delights in us and rejoices over us with singing.)

God Himself Is with Us

1. God Himself is with us: let us now adore Him,
and with awe appear before Him.
God is in His temple—all within keep silent,
prostrate lie with deepest rev’rence.
Him alone God we own,
Him, our God and Savior;
praise His name forever.

Verse 1 reminds us that we worship and awesome God, deserving of reverence and awe- One who is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:28-29.)

2. God Himself is with us: hear the harps resounding!
See the crowds the throne surrounding!
“Holy, holy, holy”—hear the hymn ascending,
angels, saints, their voices blending!
Bow Thine ear to us here:
hear, O Christ, the praises
that Thy church now raises.

Verse 2 is a glorious picture of heavenly worship-and a blessed reminder that we have been united with Christ and raised up with Him (Eph. 2:5-7)

3. O Thou fount of blessing, purify my spirit;
trusting only in Thy merit, like the holy angels
who behold Thy glory, may I ceaselessly adore Thee,
and in all, great and small,
seek to do most nearly
what Thou lovest dearly.

Words: Gerhard Tersteegen, 1729
Music: Joachim Neander, 1680

Verse 3 is a prayer that Christ, the fount of blessing, would so purify us that our praises would be like the praises of the angels who see what we have believed by faith- and that in our walk- in the big things and the little things as well- we would delight to do what the Lord loves.
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A full copy of this week’s bulletin may be found on the Redeemer website at www.redeemerlynchburg.org. I encourage you to read Rev. 3:14-21 and to spend some time asking the Lord to speak to us as a congregation this Sunday.

Blessings of the Alpha and Omega to you,
John Bennetch