For April 1, 2012

Worship Next Sunday

April 1, 2012

Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee

Sermon text: Acts 10:25-48

Sermon title: “Adventure at Caesarea” (continued)

Music:

Opening Hymn 3 Give to Our God Immortal Praise

Preparation Hymn 437 O God to Us Show Mercy

Response Hymn 342 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation

Closing Hymn 460 Amazing Grace

Confession of Faith: Apostles Creed

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 121

Preparation Guide

Sunday: Review morning sermon (evening service @ 5pm)

Monday: Acts 10:25-48

Tuesday: 2 Kings 2:1-11

Wednesday: 2 Kings 2:12-25

Thursday: Psalm 121

Friday: Matthew 22:37

Saturday: Acts 10

Suggested Bible Study and Prayers

(Passages that we will refer to in next Sunday's worship)

2 Kings 2

Sovereign Lord, take us up to heaven at just the right time. Grant to us wise hearts that will not cling to things here below. Thank You for our eternal hope, secured for us in the life and death of Your Son. We mourn the loss of those who depart, men of insight, full of Your Spirit. Yet You are the one who makes a man to be a strong servant for You. In the day that an Elijah goes to a better home, You are able to raise up an Elisha for the good of Your church. Grant us faithful servants, men of God who will truly speak Your Word. Grant us hearts that look to our great prophet Jesus Christ. May we always look to Him and live. Give us new hope and the fresh water of Your presence. Heal Your church. Supply great resources of heavenly wisdom for those who are young, that they might humbly turn to You and live.

Acts 10

God of the Nations, we rejoice in the obvious truth that salvation has been granted not only to Jews, but also to the Gentiles. How many a Cornelius have come to know the truth of this great Jewish Messiah! In this Christ we have been declared clean. How often do we treat others as unclean when You have cleansed them for the hearing of Your Word? Thank You for Your providence among men and angels whereby the truth of Jesus has been brought to the ends of the earth. Could it be that Your church would be strangely unmoved by this great expansion of Your kingdom? Are we really so captivated by our private concerns that we only see our own homes and families and the continual needs of our lives? Help us to fear You again and to do what is right. Help us to love the preaching of Jesus Christ here and in distant lands. Will we not be moved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Could it be that a man would claim to be alive to the resurrection of Jesus, and yet still be dead to the progress of Your Son’s kingdom throughout the world? Open our eyes, O Lord! Some unseen enemy must yet be against us or within us. Open our eyes so that we would love You and serve You! Grant us a more powerful cleansing by Your Spirit and a more wonderful knowledge of the truth so that we would be eager to serve You forever.

Psalm 121

Father God, our help comes from You. You have created us, and You keep us through all kinds of difficulties. You will help us as we move along in our journey to the heavenly Jerusalem. You will keep us forever.

For March 25, 2012

Worship Next Sunday

March 25, 2012

Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee

Sermon text: Acts 10:1-24

Sermon title: “Adventure at Caesarea”

Music:

Opening Hymn 80 Lord, with Glowing Heart I'd Praise Thee

Preparation Hymn 145 The Spirit Breathes upon the Word

Response Hymn 172 Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder

Closing Hymn 642 Be Thou My Vision

Confession of Faith: Apostles Creed

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 117

Preparation Guide

Sunday: Review morning sermon (evening service @ 5pm)

Monday: Acts 10:1-24

Tuesday: 2 Kings 1:1-8

Wednesday: 2 Kings 1:9-18

Thursday: Psalm 117

Friday: Luke 9:23-26

Saturday: Acts 10

Suggested Bible Study and Prayers

(Passages that we will refer to in next Sunday's worship)

2 Kings 1

Father God, we need You. It will do us no good to inquire of foreign gods. We need spiritual wisdom that can only come from You. You are the one God in heaven who rules over life and death. You have created all things, and You sustain everything by the Word of Your power. You are a consuming fire. We must worship You alone. Please have mercy on us, that we might live. Give us hope in the day of illness and trouble. Forgive our sins, draw us near to You in Christ, and turn us away from all idolatry.

Acts 10

God of the Nations, we rejoice in the obvious truth that salvation has been granted not only to Jews, but also to the Gentiles. How many a Cornelius have come to know the truth of this great Jewish Messiah! In this Christ we have been declared clean. How often do we treat others as unclean when You have cleansed them for the hearing of Your Word? Thank You for Your providence among men and angels whereby the truth of Jesus has been brought to the ends of the earth. Could it be that Your church would be strangely unmoved by this great expansion of Your kingdom? Are we really so captivated by our private concerns that we only see our own homes and families and the continual needs of our lives? Help us to fear You again and to do what is right. Help us to love the preaching of Jesus Christ here and in distant lands. Will we not be moved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Could it be that a man would claim to be alive to the resurrection of Jesus, and yet still be dead to the progress of Your Son’s kingdom throughout the world? Open our eyes, O Lord! Some unseen enemy must yet be against us or within us. Open our eyes so that we would love You and serve You! Grant us a more powerful cleansing by Your Spirit and a more wonderful knowledge of the truth so that we would be eager to serve You forever.

Psalm 117

God of all the earth, everyone everywhere should worship You. Use us as Your servants to extend the glory of Your Name to lands that have never heard of You. Bring the power of redemption through the blood of Your Son to every nation.

For March 18, 2012

Worship Next Sunday

March 18, 2012

Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee

Sermon text: Acts 9:36-43

Sermon title: “Many Believed in the Lord”

Music:

Opening Hymn 18 You Holy Angels Bright

Preparation Hymn 330 Holy Ghost, Dispel Our Sadness

Response Hymn 156 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

Closing Hymn 353 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord

Confession of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 113

Preparation Guide

Sunday: Review morning sermon (evening service @ 5pm)

Monday: Acts 9:36-43

Tuesday: 1 Kings 22:1-28

Wednesday: 1 Kings 22:29-53

Thursday: Psalm 113

Friday: Exodus 20:17

Saturday: Acts 9

Suggested Bible Study and Prayers

(Passages that we will refer to in next Sunday's worship)

1 Kings 22

Lord God, the danger of our sin is all around us. Not only do we have iniquity within us and in our assemblies and cities, but we also feel the danger of sin in high places in Your church and in our nations. Teach us to inquire of You in every situation. We humbly ask You to lead us every day. Order all the events before us. Help us to be sensible of the warfare all around us. Shall we go forth into battle without the truth of Your Word? We have a great King in Jesus Christ, our Lord. He pleads for us above. Send forth Your Holy Spirit with the truth this day. Keep false prophets far away from us. Help us by granting to us an accurate and bold presentation of Your Word. We thank You for the Scriptures. Give us the courage to approach You in humble prayer. Teach us to seek Your will above all things. We ask that You would use our prayers to grant to us those things that You desire for Your children. Teach us to have godly affections and requests. The battle rages all around us. Make us faithful to Your Word. If we die today, may we die the death of those who have loved You, and have been faithful to the commission that Your Son has given to His church. Where we fail, appoint others who will listen more attentively to Your voice in the Scriptures. From generation to generation move us along according to Your Word. Where we have been sadly stubborn in our rejection of truth, we pray that future generations of Your church will be moved to see the truth that we have rejected in our folly.

Acts 9

Glorious Lord, You can take a man who is breathing threats against You and Your people and make him into a great servant of the Word. Blessed be Your Name. You help such a man to see the truth that he once condemned. The power of Your gospel changes men, softening proud hearts, and making them willing to suffer for the Name that they hated. Remove from our eyes any remaining spiritual blindness. Help us to see even more clearly that Jesus is Your Son. He is the only Messiah, and this is clearly shown through even the Old Testament Scriptures. Grant that our ministers would preach boldly among men who may be seeking to kill us. Grant us peace and joy in the comfort that comes from Your Truth and from the Holy Spirit. Make us know Your love for us so fully that we cannot help but be overflowing with good works. Remove far from us all ungodly hatred, self-centered distractions, and laziness. Take away all false excuses that we used in earlier days to reject so many great opportunities to serve You.

Psalm 113

Lord God, You have blessed us in so many ways. We thank You sincerely. You are above all nations. There is no god like You. You saw us in our poverty and need. You met us in our barrenness. You have granted us godliness with contentment. You have promised us a future forever in Your Kingdom. We praise You.

For March 11, 2012

Worship Next Sunday

March 11, 2012

Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee

Sermon text: Acts 9:32-35

Sermon title: “They Turned to the Lord”

Music:

Opening Hymn 30 Our God, Our Help in Ages Past

Preparation Hymn 335 Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me.

Response Hymn 461 Not What My Hands Have Done

Closing Hymn 345 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Confession of Faith: Nicene Creed

New Testament Passage: Hebrews 12:18-29

Preparation Guide

Sunday: Review morning sermon (evening service @ 5pm)

Monday: Acts 9:32-35

Tuesday: 1 Kings 21:1-16

Wednesday: 1 Kings 21:17-29

Thursday: Psalm 105

Friday: Exodus 20:16

Saturday: Acts 9

Suggested Bible Study and Prayers

(Passages that we will refer to in next Sunday's worship)

1 Kings 21

Lord, we need wisdom to fight against indwelling sin. Why is there a continuing evil impulse within the souls of the redeemed? Help us to put that lurking foe to the sword. Make us wise in the battle. Let us petition the King of kings to send all His powerful resources to hunt down this brutal adversary who is troubling us. Help us to see that any evil is not alone, but is part of an army of wickedness. If one foe is put to death, another one rises up. Will we give in to sin without a serious fight? Would anyone believe the resolves that we make against sin, when we still reserve for ourselves some secret place of evil? We will surely run there when we feel the tug of our depravity. Help us to hear of Your judgment against Ahab and Jezebel. It will only be by Your mercy that the judgment against us will be put away in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

Acts 9

Glorious Lord, You can take a man who is breathing threats against You and Your people and make him into a great servant of the Word. Blessed be Your Name. You help such a man to see the truth that he once condemned. The power of Your gospel changes men, softening proud hearts, and making them willing to suffer for the Name that they hated. Remove from our eyes any remaining spiritual blindness. Help us to see even more clearly that Jesus is Your Son. He is the only Messiah, and this is clearly shown through even the Old Testament Scriptures. Grant that our ministers would preach boldly among men who may be seeking to kill us. Grant us peace and joy in the comfort that comes from Your Truth and from the Holy Spirit. Make us know Your love for us so fully that we cannot help but be overflowing with good works. Remove far from us all ungodly hatred, self-centered distractions, and laziness. Take away all false excuses that we used in earlier days to reject so many great opportunities to serve You.

Psalm 105

Glorious Lord of All, we worship You and give You thanks. It is wonderful to sing to You. We seek You and we remember what You have done. Your judgments are wise. You keep all Your promises. You made a covenant with us in Christ, and You are fulfilling that good plan in great ways. You have announced news of a future age through Your prophets. So much has already come to pass, and yet much more is still ahead of us. We marvel at Your works in gathering a people for the glory of Your Name. Even today You continue to rescue us from the sin that distracts and ensnares us. You bring us out of danger and cause us to trust again in Your Son. Be with us as we go through this life. We are looking forward to the coming age of glory. May we keep Your Son’s commandments as we wait for the day of His return.