Greetings Redeemer family,

First things first, I have a very important announcement: this Sunday is “spring forward” for Daylight Savings Time. That means you need to set your clock ahead an hour on Saturday night, otherwise you’ll show up an hour late to the service!

It also means we’ll all probably be a little groggy and tired as we come into worship. And that’s ok. But it should make you ask a simple question: why am I doing this? What’s so important that you would give up the rare opportunity to sleep in? Our call to worship this week – from Deuteronomy 6 – gives a great answer to this question:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.

We come on Sunday morning to meet with the Living God. We come to sing His praises, to confess our sins, to be reminded of His goodness, and to learn from His Holy Word. We do this because He is infinitely worthy and has commanded us to honor Him. But this is not an oppressive command from a cruel taskmaster. This is the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father, who appointed these things for our joy. Our opening songs remind us of the joy that is found in following in the path of God’s holy will.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Put no confidence in princes,
Nor for help on man depend;
He shall die, to dust returning,
And his purposes shall end.

Happy is the man that chooses
Israel’s God to be his aid;
He is blessed whose hope of blessing
On the Lord his God is stayed.
Heaven and earth the Lord created,
Seas and all that they contain;
He delivers from oppression,
Righteousness he will maintain.

I will worship (I will worship)
With all of my heart (with all of my heart)
I will praise You (I will praise You)
With all of my strength (all my strength)
I will seek You (I will seek You)
All of my days (all of my days)
I will follow (I will follow)
All of Your ways (all Your ways)

I will give You all my worship
I will give You all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise

Often when we sing these songs, I’ll feel a tinge of conscience. I know that, ultimately, God is the only one worthy of all of my worship and honor. Yet every day I choose to glorify myself rather than God. I fear the disapproval of others instead of living in awe of my creator. I chase the passing pleasures of this world rather than seek the true beauty of Christ.

But none of this is news to God. He is well aware of our divided hearts. He sent His Son that we might be reconciled by Christ’s death. He sends His Spirit that our hearts and wills might be renewed. He is constantly at work in, around, through, and in spite of us – drawing us back into relationship with Himself. For His glory, He is shaping each of us more and more into the glorious likeness of Jesus Christ.

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus thank You
Once Your enemy now seated at Your table
Jesus thank You

Lover of my soul I want to live for You

The puritans used to say that the Christian life is one of constant faith and repentance. God reveals Himself and His Will to us progressively by His Word and providence. As we study the Word, hear sermons each week, and walk in community with other believers, we come to know the person and teachings of Jesus better. We respond to this revelation in belief, and seek His Spirit’s help to walk in obedience to His revealed will. Our reading from the Westminster Shorter Catechism helps us better understand the importance of faith and repentance.

Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.

As a community, we will practice repentace together, using the following corporate confession of sin:

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to Your promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. Grant that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; to the glory of His holy name. Amen.

Following this confession, we will be reminded of the grace of God, using selections from 1 John 4. This grace not only cleanses us of our former sins. It is also the only thing that can enable that “new obedience” of true life in His Holy Will.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

This week, Mike will be teaching from John 12, as Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume and many onlookers are scandalized. Judas feigns concern for the poor, thinly disguising his desire for personal gain. The contrast between Mary and Judas is pronounced in this passage. Judas is so consumed with greed that he doesn’t see the infinite worth of the person of Jesus – when Jesus is sitting right in front of him! Mary sees Jesus for who He really is, and honors Him in the most extravagant way she can.

The text we sing in our offertory calls us to stop seeking selfish temporary desires and look upon Jesus – who was cruicfied to redeem and save us to enjoy eternity with Him. I hope you will take these words as a prayer, that God would change your perspective – that you would not be consumed with the cares of this world, but seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Come raise your thankful voice,
Ye souls redeemed with blood;
Leave earth and all its toys
and mix no more with mud.

Be to this world as dead,
Alive to that to come;
Our life in Christ is hid,
Who soon shall call us home.

We close our service with a song of rejoicing, that God has redeemed and called us to Himself through the grace of Jesus. He has set us free to walk in the way of His commands – for our joy and His glory. To Him be the praise, from this day forth and forever.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me who caused His pain!
For me who Him to death pursued?
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!
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

Now that’s worth waking up for!

Tim Sharpe
Worship Director