Call to Worship
The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
—2 Samuel 22:47 (NIV, 1984)
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God and Good Father,
Forgive our sins and relieve our doubts
and fears as they test our faith
and threaten our resolve.
Bring strength to our weakness,
And protect us from the ‘accuser’
who would seek to shake our assurance,
and cloud our trust.
Instead, keep before us a vision of Jesus,
And enable us to share His love,
With one another and with our world.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name, from age to age the same, And he must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for, lo, his doom is sure; One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours, through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever.
Martin Luther, based on Psalm 46, 1529; tr. Frederick H. Hedge, 1853. Tune, EIN FESTE BURG, Martin Luther, 1529, alt.
The Earth Is Yours
Your voice it thunders, the oaks start twisting
The forest sounds with cedars breaking
The waters see You, and start their writhing
From the depths a song is rising
Now it’s rising from the ground
Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord The earth is Yours and singing
Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord The earth is Yours The earth is Yours
Your voice it thunders, the ground is shaking
The mighty mountains now are trembling
Creation sees You and starts composing
The fields and trees they start rejoicing
Now it’s rising from the ground
Now it’s rising from the ground, hear us crying out
Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord The earth is Yours and singing
Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord The earth is Yours and singing
Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord The earth is Yours
The earth is Yours
The earth is Yours
Michael Gungor © 2012 worshiptogether.com songs CCLI 241710
A Profession of Faith
As followers of Jesus Christ,
living in this world—
which some seek to control,
but which others view with despair—
we declare with joy and trust:
Our world belongs to God!
From the beginning,
through all the crises of our times,
until his kingdom fully comes,
God keeps covenant forever.
Our world belongs to him!
God is King! Let the earth be glad!
Christ is Victor; his rule has begun. Hallelujah!
The Spirit is at work, renewing the creation.
Praise the Lord!
—Our World Belongs to God, st. 1-2
All Creatures of Our God and King
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him, Alleluia
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along
O praise Him, Alleluia
Thou rising morn in praise rejoice
Ye lights of heaven find a voice
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him, Alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit Three in One
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit Three in One
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
St. Francis of Assisi / William Henry Draper
Sermon
Believing Something About God – Collision of Fear & Faith
Joshua 2:1-21
Amazing Grace
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed
Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home
When we’ve been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun
John Newton, 1779. Tune, AMAZING GRACE, traditional American melody
chapelgate worship 