True and Living God
(Service #2)
- PREPARING/THINKING ABOUT IT:
- Read Compass article:
"God's Nature"
Read "Who is Like You?" based on Scripture passages with this important Biblical worship refrain.
Read "The Drafting Table" (#2) - OPENING:We come longing to know and worship the true and living God (Psalm 42:1-2) in whom we find our life (John 17:2)
- "As the Deer" by Martin
Nystrom (©1984 Maranatha Music) [based on Ps 42:2] -Integrity
Hosanna! Book 2:111
**other quiet songs of adoration**
-
Call to Worship:
- We have turned from dead idols to serve the living God! (1
Thess. 1:9) So let us come in wonder and awe to lift up the name
of the Most High and awesome God , who is "high above all
praise" (Nehemiah
9:32) far greater than we have even begun to imagine.
"Mighty God, While Angels Bless You"
"Immortal, Invisible,God Only Wise" (based on 1 Tim.1:17)
"Let Us Adore The Everliving God" (by Julius Chajes ©1952 Transcontinental Music Publishing) -Integrity Hosanna! Book 1:54
"Awesome God" (by Rich Mullins ©1988 Edward Grant Corp, Inc.) -Integrity Hosanna! Book 3:277
Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31
-
Confession: (The TRUTH about Us).
- Romans 1:20, 25 God's greatness is clearly revealed but mankind refuses to see it! Even we who have seen God's great salvation forget and fail to glorify him as God. So we come to confess that we have brought the God who fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24)down to our level, imagining that he is like us, and we have not trusted that he is able to do what he says.
- "Be Magnified " (by Lynn DeShazo, ©1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music) -Integrity Hosanna! Book 7:638
Lord, we pray as Moses did, "Show yourself strong!"--able to deliver your people even from their idolatry and unbelief. (Numbers 14:16-19) Show the world that you are the living God who saves (Daniel 6:26-27) so that all may see and worship you.
- ( A time to "cast down our idols". Many times in the O.T. we see God's people turning to God, and shattering or burying their idols (e.g., Joshua 24:23) . A more extended time of confession might be organized around our acknowledging various ways in which we are prone to be idolators, and seeking by God's grace to throw away these idols.
- "The dearest idol I have known, whate'er that idol be;
help me to tear it from thy throne and worship only thee." -Wm.Cowper)
- Confessing Our Faith (Remembering the TRUTH about God)
-
Unison: The Apostles' Creed and/or
Read: Who is Like You, Lord? (Several short readings by various people about God's greatness--to save!)
Exodus 15:11
Psalm 89:5-8
Micah 7:18-19
Revelation 15:2-4 (may be unison)
- Good News! (The Way, the TRUTH and the Life) Yes the living God is the one who saves! His greatness is beyond our ability to comprehend, and his love is unfathomably deep! Come, behold him!
- "I Stand in Awe of You"
(by Mark Altrogge ©1988, 1997 PDI Music) Integrity Hosanna! Book
4:302
"What Wondrous Love is This"
"How Great is Your Love" (by Mark Altrogge ©1990 Integrity's Praise! Music/PDI Praise) Integrity Hosanna! Book 6:571
"I Exalt Thee" (by Pete Sanchez, Jr. ©1977 Pete Sanchez, Jr.)Integrity Hosanna! Book 1:34
"Great is the Lord" (by Michael W. Smith and Deborath D. Smith ©1982 Meadowgreen Music Co.) Integrity Hosanna! Book 4:286**other songs about how great and glorious God is**
- Prayers (Intercession) for God to display how wide and long and high and deep is his wisdom, power and love. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ) [Use your imagination to think of the variety of ways God is able to redeem 'to the uttermost' and be bold to ask him to do so for his people, for his creation. (add specifics)]
- (wide) througout the whole earth
- (long) never failing, for young and old
- (deep) for those "in the depths" of hardship, suffering
- (high) Lord, do more than we can even begin to imagine, more than we could ever hope for to exalt yourself.
- "Now to Him Who is Able" by Steve Israel (©1997 Steve Israel Songs)
- Offering
- Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and splendor. . . . 1 Chronicles 29:10-13
Sermon: "I Am Who I Am" says the Lord (Exodus 3:13-15) (John Piper)
Communion: The high exalted one has stooped to dine with us! Even to wash our feet.
- "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face" (Bonar)
- Closing: Our Hope--God's Glory:
- The true and living God will do new and greater things!(Isaiah 42:8-9).
- Benediction/Blessing: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.
- Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21).
- Doxology:
- "Now to Him Who is Able" by Steve Israel (©1997 Steve Israel Songs)