Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Greetings, Redeemer Family!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1,2)

We contiunue our study of the Gospel of John this week as Mike preaches on John 1:1-13 in a message titled “A Logos for Life.” Our order for corporate worship is built around the four main points of the sermon and responding to each. Because this is a bit different from our normal order of service, this week in Worship Notes I’ll attempt to walk you through the elements of our service.

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Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Order of Worship

March 9, 2008

What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourwselves in life? To know God. what is the ‘eternal life’ that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.

J. I. Packer, in “Knowing God”

So the Lord now manifestly came to his own, and, born by his own created order which he himself bears, he by his obedience on the tree renewed and reversed what was done by disobedience in connection with a tree. Irenaeus, A.D. 180

A Logos for Life

A service of corporate worship based on the prologue

to the Gospel of John (John 1:1-13)

Prelude

Call to Worship John 1:1,2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Hymn of Adoration Join All the Glorious Names Hymn #301

[Note: this hymn was written by Isaac Watts and reminds us of the character and work of Christ by singing of his work as Prophet, Priest, King, Counselor, Guide, Shepherd, Savior, Conqueror, and King]

Prayer of Invocation

Song of Praise Because We Believe

[Note: a song of praise and confession in the Triune God]

[Here is the first point of the sermon]

1. Everyone Has a Logos

Song of Adoration Our Great God

[This song sings of the transcendence and infinity of the Lord]

Our Great God

Eternal God, unchanging, mysterious and unknown;

Your boundless love, unfailing, in grace and mercy shown.

Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around Your glorious throne;

They raise their voices day and night in praise to You alone:

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Lord, we are weak and frail, helpless in the storm.

Surround us with Your angels, hold us in Your arms.

Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm.

Rise up, O Lord, and he will flee before our sov’reign God.

Let ev’ry creature in the sea and ev’ry flying bird,

Let ev’ry mountain, ev’ry field and valley of the earth;

Let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe

Sing praises to the living God who rules them by His Word.

Words and music by Mac Powell and Fernando Ortega

©2002 New Spring Publishing

II. Jesus is God

[Following part II of the sermon, we confess our faith in the deity of Christ using a series of questions from the Heidelberg Catechism which help us to understand that Christ was fully God]

Confession of Faith The Heidelberg Catechism, Questions 15-18

Q: What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for?

A: One who is truly human and truly righteous, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.

Q: Why must he be truly human and truly righteous?

A: God’s justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for its sin, but a sinner could never pay for others.

Q: Why must he also be true God?

A: So that, by the power of his divinity, he might bear the weight of God’s anger in his humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Q: And who is this mediator—true God and at the same time truly human and truly righteous?

A: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given us to set us completely free and to make us right with God.

Song of Praise Lamb of God

[Note: this familiar song allows us to meditate on the way that Christ, in giving himself for us, reveals to us the heart of God and everything we need to know for salvation]

LAMB OF GOD

1. Your only Son, no sin to hide;

but You have sent Him from Your side

to walk upon this guilty sod

and to become the Lamb of God.

(refrain) O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,

I love the holy Lamb of God.

O wash me in Your precious blood,

my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

2. Your gift of love they crucified,

they laughed and scorned Him as He died,

the humble King they named a fraud

and sacrificed the Lamb of God. (refrain)

3. I was so lost I should have died;

but You have brought me to Your side

to be led by Your staff and rod,

and to be called a lamb of God.

O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,

I love the holy Lamb of God.

O wash me in Your precious blood,

’til I am just a lamb of God.

Words and music by Twila Paris©1985 Straightway Music

III. Unbelief is a Riddle

Confession of Sin

Song of Assurance Across the Lands

[In this contemporary hymn we sing of Christ as our rescuer- the one who cam to seek and save the lost]

Across the Lands

You’re the word of God the Father

From before the world began.

Every star and every planet

Has been fashioned by Your hand.

All creation holds together

By the power of Your voice.

Let the skies declare Your glory

Let the land and seas rejoice!

Chorus: You’re the Author of Creation

You’re the God of every man

And Your cry of love rings out across the lands.

Yet You left the gaze of angels;

Came to seek and save the lost,

And exchanged the joy of heaven

For the anguish of a cross.

With a prayer You fed the hungry,

With a word You calmed the sea.

Yet how silently You suffered

That the guilty may go free! (chorus)

With a shout You rose victorious,

Wrestling victory from the grave,

And ascended into heaven

Leading captives in Your way.

Now You stand before the Father

Interceding for Your own.

From each tribe and tongue and nation;

You are leading sinners home! (chorus)

Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

Copyright 2003 Thankyou Music

God’s Tithes and Our Offerings

IV. Faith is a Miracle

Hymn of Thanksgiving Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder

Dismissal

Minister: Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and

Savior, Jesus Christ.

People: THANKS BE TO GOD!

Benediction

Postlude

I pray that planning our service in a unique way this week will help us to see more clearly and know more fully the glory and paradox of the Gospel- to be amazed that we have been made sons and daughters of the living God-and that we together will be filled with wonder as we see the great love of the Lord who bought us, pitied us when enemies, and gave Himself to save us from the penalty of sin.

Blessings in Christ,

John Bennetch

(Text printed by permission: CCLI #2419466)