Worship Notes for 6/20/10 (PDF)

Greetings Redeemer family,

This week we continue in our series on the Fruit of the Spirit, this time looking at the fruit of Peace. Peace is an odd thing in our world today. As a country, we’re 7 years into a “War on Terror,” yet it was quiet in my neighborhood when I woke up this morning. It’s been decades since I’ve been in a serious, physical fight with someone else, but I can quickly lose my temper with other drivers on the road. I can walk by over a hundred people during the course of my day, and be totally unaware of the deep anxieties and fears that plague each one of us.

Peace, it seems, is a fleeting thing at best. So what does it mean for us to be a people of Peace, who serve a God of Peace?

Our call to worship this week comes from Romans 5, and is a reminder of the definitive, objective peace that we have because of the work of Christ – our Prince of Peace – on our behalf.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Him we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand,

and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

According to Romans 5, the proper response to the peace we now have with God is to rejoice in worshipful thanksgiving to our great and glorious God.

Most holy, most glorious, the Ancient of Days

Almighty, victorious; Your great Name we praise

Our second song is a reminder that we are called to praise God in the midst of every circumstance of life – because His character and wisdom are unchanging. He is the same: yesterday, today, and forever. He is a solid foundation for the peace of our souls.

Blessed be Your name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name

When I’m found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I’ll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

It is the peace of Christ which alone can give us the ability to praise God in the midst of hard circumstances. He graciously offers this power to all who would call upon His name. He then grants us the privilege to be people of His peace, carrying His compassion to a world in need of reconciliation.

Everyone needs compassion

Love that’s never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Savior

The hope of nations

Savior, He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever, Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

Because the feeling of peace is so often fleeting and unwieldy, it is easy to think that Peace is just a nice add-on to the Christian experience. We’re tempted to believe that it is something that some people get and others don’t. The writers of the Westminster Catechism saw things differently. They saw the blessings of God being offered to all believers in increasing greatness.

Q. 36. What are the benefits which in this life

do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost,

increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

We close our service this week with a sweet reminder of the definitive peace that we have with God because of the work of Christ. One of my favorite lyrics in this regard comes from “Mercy Speaks by Jesus’ Blood”:

Peace of conscience, peace with God

We obtain through Jesus’ blood

Jesus’ blood speaks solid rest

We believe and we are blest

We believe and we are blest

My prayer this weekend is that you would be reminded of the power of Jesus’ blood – that it would speak a solid rest to your soul. A rest that cannot be moved or shaken or broken by the changing winds of this world. This perfect peace is completely won by our eternal King by His finished work on the cross. I pray that we would believe this, and experience the blessings of being His own.

Because of Christ, we must and shall go free!

Tim Sharpe

Worship Director