Greetings Redeemer family!
This past weekend was the end of Daylight Saving Time, and by now you’ve probably forgotten all about that extra hour of sleep you got last Sunday morning. I know I have.
But I have been very aware of something related. It’s definitely getting dark much earlier in the day. It made me realize how little I think about simple things like daylight. We take modern conveniences like electricity for granted now. We live in a society where there’s little practical difference between night and day. Yet this was not always the case
In our service this week, we continue in John 8 with Jesus boldly proclaiming: “I am the light of the world.” A friend in the church and I were discussing this audacious claim this week, and he pointed out our society’s relationship with light. We’ve taken a natural, wild, unpredictable thing and made it manufactured, tame, and ready-to-order. So when Jesus says “I am the light of the world,” we’re unimpressed. But the problem isn’t in Jesus, it’s in us.
My friend put down his thoughts in the form of a confessional prayer. With his permission, I wanted to share it with you in this post:
Contrast
Light, you were
Once, intimately created with a rock and flint;
Later, kindled quietly by match and candle;
Now, conveniently powered through switch and bulb.
Progressively comfortable.
Progressively self-sufficient.
Progressively controlled.
This is my credo.
I give you minimal consideration
Because your presence is expected.
The bulb has been standardized,
The power has been calculated,
And the switch is always next to the door.
If I need you…I will flip the switch.
“I am the source of the light,”
This is my credo.
[Pause for silence and confession.]
And Jesus spoke to them saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.
Male Redeemer Member, Age 32
We are beginning our service this week with a new song. The lyrics are a clear call to worship, calling people from every place in the world and station in life to give glory and honor to the King of all. To preview a live recording of the song, click this link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=234szPddcak
Come people of the risen king,
Who delight to bring Him praise;
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night;
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
Come, young and old from every land -
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands -
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing -
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”!
Our call to worship this week is taken from multiple places in Isaiah, prophesying the coming of the Light of the World.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born; to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
Following our call to worship are 3 songs of praise to God for His glory shown in creation.
Wondrous King, all glorious, Sovereign Lord victorious,
O, receive our praise with favor!
From thee welled God’s kindness Though we in our blindness
Strayed from thee, our blessed Saviour.
Strengthen thou, Help us now;
Let our tongues be singing,
Thee our praises bringing.
Heavens, spread the story Of our Maker’s glory,
All the pomp of earth obscuring.
Sun, thy rays be sending, Thy bright beams expending,
Light to all the earth assuring.
Moon and star, Praise afar
Him who glorious made you;
The vast heavens aid you.
Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
When I stumble in the darkness
I will call Your name by night
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy holy
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth
The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice
How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see how great
How great is our God
Our service this week has an interesting bit of symmetry. We begin in our call to worship with Old Testament prophecies that look forward to the coming of the Light of the World: Jesus the Christ. We will close our service with a song that uses Old Testament metaphors to describe our anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming. It is my prayer that this song of celebration will leave you with a sense of longing for the full glory of our Savior to be revealed. Like John, we would cry “Amen, come Lord Jesus!”
These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord.
And these are the days of Your servant, Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still we are the voice in the desert crying,
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”
Behold, He comes, riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call,
Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes
And these are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh,
And these are the days of Your servant, David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise,
And these are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in the world,
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the Word of the Lord
Longing for my Savior’s face,
Tim Sharpe
Worship Director
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg VA
