May 5, 2024

Order of Worship

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering the Family Together

Christ Our Hope in Life and Death

Congregation:      What is our hope in life and death?
Christ alone, Christ alone.
What is our only confidence?
That our souls to Him belong.

Jubilee Singers:    Who holds our days within His hand?
What comes, apart from His command?
And what will keep us to the end?

Congregation:      The love of Christ, in which we stand.

Refrain:

All:                     O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever, we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

Piano Side:          What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.

Organ Side:         Where is His grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer’s blood.

Jubilee Singers:    Who holds our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh unto the shore?

Congregation:      The rock of Christ!

Refrain:

All:                     O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever, we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

Congregation:      Unto the grave, what shall we sing?
“Christ, He lives; Christ, He lives!”

Jubilee Singers:    And what reward will heaven bring?

Congregation:      Everlasting life with Him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord,
then sin and death will be destroyed,
and we will feast in endless joy,
When Christ is ours forevermore.

Refrain:

All:                     O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever, we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

Now and ever, we confess

Christ our hope in life and death.

Words and Music by Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker and Matt Papa ©2020 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) Messenger Hymns/ Matthew Merker Music (BMI)/ Jordan Kauflin Music (BMI)/ Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP)/Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP)

Call To Worship

Scripture Reading:                                                                Luke 24:50-53

⁵⁰ And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.

⁵¹ While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

⁵² And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

⁵³ and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Prayer of Invocation

Declaring What We Believe:

Red Hymnal #92                                                                “The Solid Rock”

We Respond to God’s Presence

Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise

1. Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!

To his throne beyond the skies. Alleluia!

Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!

Enters now the highest heaven. Alleluia!

2. There for him high triumph waits. Alleluia!

Lift your heads, eternal gates. Alleluia!

He has conquered death and sin. Alleluia!

Take the King of glory in. Alleluia!

3. Highest heaven its Lord receives. Alleluia!

Yet he loves the earth he leaves. Alleluia!

Though returning to his throne. Alleluia!

Still he calls us all his own. Alleluia!

4. Still for us he intercedes. Alleluia!

His atoning death he pleads. Alleluia!

Near himself prepares our place. Alleluia!

He the first fruits of our race. Alleluia!

5. There we shall with you remain. Alleluia!

Partners of your endless reign. Alleluia!

See you with unclouded view. Alleluia!

Find our heaven of heavens in you. Alleluia!

Words: Charles Wesley, 1739, and Thomas Cotterill, 1820, Alt. P.D. Music (LLANFAIR: Robert Williams, 1817. P.D.

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing

1. A hymn of glory let us sing!

New hymns throughout the world shall ring;

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Christ, by a road before untrod, ascends unto the throne of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

2. The holy apostolic band upon the Mount of Olives stands.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

And with his faithful followers see their Lord ascend in majesty.

Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

3. O Lord, our homeward pathway bend

that our unwearied hearts ascend.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Where seated on your Father’s throne, you reign as King of kings alone.

Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

4. O risen Christ, ascended Lord, all praise to you let earth accord;

Alleluia! Alleluia!

You are, while endless ages run, with Father and with Spirit one.

Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Words Venerable Bede (673-735). Music (LASST UNS ERFREUEN) 1623

Children’s Sermon Song:

I Might Be Small

I might be small, but my God is big.

I might be small, but my God is big.

I might be small, but my God is big.

My God is bigger so much bigger.

God is bigger than anything.

Children’s Sermon

Pastoral Prayer

The basket to receive His tithes and our offerings

is located on the left as you leave the Sanctuary.

We Worship Through Hearing

Sermon Hymn:

Christ, the Sure and Steady Anchor

Verse 1

Christ, the sure and steady anchor in the fury of the storm;

When the winds of doubt blow through me and my sails have all been torn.

In the suff’ring, in the sorrow, when my sinking hopes are few,

I will hold fast to the anchor; it shall never be removed.

Verse 2

Christ, the sure and steady anchor while the tempest rages on;

When temptation claims the battle and it seems the night has won.

Deeper still then goes the anchor, though I justly stand accused;

I will hold fast to the anchor; it shall never be removed.

Verse 3

Christ, the sure and steady anchor through the floods of unbelief;

Hopeless, somehow, O my soul now lift your eyes to calvary.

This my ballast of assurance, see His love forever proved;

I will hold fast to the anchor; it shall never be removed.

Verse 4

Christ, the sure and steady anchor, as we face the wave of death;

When these trials give way to glory and we draw our final breath.

We will cross that great horizon, clouds behind and life secured;

And the calm will be the better for the storms that we endured.

Christ, the shore of our salvation, ever faithful, ever true;

We will hold fast to the anchor; it shall never be removed.

Words and Music by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell (arranged by Paul Campbell). © 2014 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) / Messenger Hymns (BMI) / Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP) / Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP / Adm by MusicSevices.org

Today’s Message

“I Believe in the Ascension of Christ”

Acts 1:1-11; Hebrews 2:8-15

Rev. David Brown

Notes

I believe in the Ascension of Jesus Christ.

It tells us…

1. That Jesus Christ has accomplished His mission;

2. That He has resumed His authority in heaven and earth;

3. That He has commenced His work of advocating for believers;

4. That the Son of God intends to carry us with Him to glory;

5. That Jesus won a cosmic victory soon to be revealed.

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

Communion

Prayer of Contrition

Sharing of the Elements

We invite to the Lord’s Table all those who are baptized disciples of Jesus Christ and are under the authority of Christ and His body, the Church. By eating the bread and drinking the wine with us as a visitor, you are acknowledging to the elders of this local church that you are in covenant with God and an active member of a congregation in which the gospel is faithfully confessed, taught, and believed. You also acknowledge that you are a sinner, without hope except in the sovereign mercy of God, and that you are trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. If you have any doubt about your participation, please speak to the elders before or after the service.

Declaration of Forgiveness

We Are Sent Forth in Worship

to Share the Gospel

Red Hymnal #345                                      “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

Benediction