Worship Notes for November 22, 2009
Nov 20th, 2009
Greetings Redeemer family!
Last week, we learned more about God’s global mission, and had the
privilege of praying for the Parks family as they prepare to take the
Gospel message to the people of North Africa. That Gospel message,
simply stated, is that Christ has come so that we might not die in our
sins. This world-changing news is not just for the people of
first-century Jerusalem or North Africa. It is also for us: here,
today, in Lynchburg VA. On the cross, Christ took the punishment for
all of our guilt. In His resurrection, we have the promise of new
life and freedom.
Freedom is not something we readily understand. We often hear it
exclaimed that ours is a “free country.” We can vote for our leaders,
choose our vocations, and travel where we please. Yet there are some
very real limits on our freedoms. We are compelled to pay taxes,
drive a certain speed. We still experience hardships, fears,
setbacks, loss, regret. We long for changes in our bodies and in our
relationships. Even in the United States, we still feel the desire to
be set free.
Our call to worship this week from Psalm 118 points to the true source
of freedom, the enduring love of God. Because He cares for His
people, He is able to deliver us from our anguish. And our freedom is
not just the absence of oppression; it is also the ability to enjoy
worship and fellowship with God.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Let those who fear the LORD say: “His love endures forever.”
In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will
exalt you.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
The familiar hymn “O For A Thousand Tongues” was originally written by
Charles Wesley a year after coming to saving faith in Christ. The
complete words of the 18 stanza hymn focus on the freedom we enjoy in
Christ as His redeemed people. It appears in many hymnals with
Wesley’s personal recommendation that everyone sing it “on the
anniversary of one’s conversion.”
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
Our corporate confession of faith this week, taken from the Heidelberg
Catechism, focuses in on the Lordship of Christ. When I think of
Lordship, I associate it with duty and obedience to a sovereign ruler.
I don’t typically think of freedom and lordship as being linked. It
is interesting, then, that this definition does not focus on
obedience. Rather, the writers focus on Christ who has “ransomed” and
“freed” His people, making them “His own possession.” True Christian
obedience only comes when we understand our freedom: the primacy of
our identity in Him.
34. Q. Why do you call Christ our Lord?
A. Because He has ransomed us, body and soul, from all our sins, not
with silver or gold but with His precious blood, and has freed us from
all the power of the devil to make us His own possession.
In our passage this week, the people misunderstand Jesus’ offer of
freedom. They answered Him saying, “We are Abraham’s descendants and
have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set
free?” (John 8:33) As I read that, I readily identify with Jesus’
audience. “I’m an American. How is it that I need to be set free?”
Our offertory this week is a sobering litany that pairs the ways that
sin holds us captive with the liberation that Jesus offers.
Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward forever on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Following the offertory, we will take some time in prayer and
confession. Our prayer of confession for this week was written by a
member of our church, focusing on how Christ sets us free by the
renewing power of His Word.
Lord Jesus, I confess that You are my Great Liberator: You free Your
people from slavery to sin, to destructive appetites and desires, and
to this passing world. Yet I have put on another yoke of slavery as I
sinned this week and I am desperate for your truth to set me free.
Your truth alone will show me what is valuable, lovely, honorable,
pure and right. Your truth alone will remind me of who I am in Your
eyes, and of Your power to grant me steadfastness of faith. Purify me
by Your Holy Word, I pray, for Your Glory. Amen.
We end our service this week with another hymn by Charles Wesley.
Wesley wrote this text shortly after his conversion, and it is another
celebration of the freedom found in Christ’s redeeming love. My
prayer as we end the service is that you would be encouraged to live
in the joy of being Christ’s own this next week. I find the following
two verses particularly poignant:
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own
Chorus: Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
Amazed by Christ’s love,
Tim Sharpe
Worship Director