Greetings Redeemer family,
We open our services at Redeemer each week with a Call to Worship. These passages from God’s Word remind us that He is worthy of worship, honor, and praise. The readings remind us of His promises to His people, as further examples of His glorious character. The purpose of these readings is that our attention might be centered on the splendor of God, that our affections might be reminded of His goodness. This week in particular, our reading from Psalm 47 points to the desire of God to call worshipers from every nation of the world.
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
We follow this reading with 2 songs that speak of God’s glory and worth.
Lord of all creation
Of water earth and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy holy
Lord of heaven and earth
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
Hallelujah glory be to our great God
Hallelujah glory be to our great God
Following the sermon, we will sing a setting of the Doxology together. The term “doxology” comes from the Greek doxa, meaning “glory,” and logos, meaning “word.” These short hymns of praise are simple reminders of the Trinitiarian character of God. They call us to respond to Him with worship and honor. This setting includes verses from another Issac Watts hymn that speak of the the worthiness of God to be worshipped among the nations.
From all that dwell beneath the skies
Let the Creator’s praise arise
Let our Redeemer’s name be sung
Through ev’ry land by ev’ry tongue
Eternal are Your mercies Lord
Eternal truth attends Your word
Your praise will sound from shore to shore
Till suns shall rise and set no more
Our confession of faith this week reminds us of our connection as the Church with all believers around the world and across history. In the historic creeds like the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, this union is called the “holy, catholic Church.” This includes believers from many faith traditions, from Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and Catholics – all those that have been called by God’s redeeming grace and have put their hope in the work of Christ alone for salvation. Our passion for missions is that this Church would be strengthened and expanded throughout the world, that Christ’s kingdom might come here on Earth, as it is in Heaven.
54. Q. What do you believe concerning the holy catholic Christian church?
A. I believe that the Son of God, out of the whole human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself, by His Spirit and Word, in the unity of the true faith, a church chosen to everlasting life. And I believe that I am and forever shall remain a living member of it.
During communion this week, we will sing songs of the Church, of Christ’s redeeming blood, and the power of His cross for salvation.
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia, Allelu…
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl
streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There’s no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?
We close our service this week with “Days of Elijah”, a song that celebrates the second coming of Christ. The words point back, using Old Testament imagery to remind us of the ways that God has worked in the past. The chorus then looks forward, to Christ’s return. The effect of these two images together is to work in us a sense of longing and anticipation that Christ would come soon, in glory and in power. It is this hope that motivates us to spread the Good News of His Kingdom to all corners of the world – that we would celebrate His coming with brothers and sisters from every tongue and tribe and nation, singing together the majesty of our God and King.
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 trials
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
So lift your voice, it’s the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes
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
Partnering with you to declare His worth to the world,
Tim Sharpe
Director of Worship
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg VA
