Will You Join Me for Supper?…Jan. 26th

collection plateEvery Sunday morning we meet together to worship God, sing songs of praise and edification and study from His holy word.  But above all, we come as a collected body of His people to commemorate our Lord’s death, burial and resurrection.  And we do so, as He commanded, by taking the bread, His body, and the cup, His blood in remembrance of Him.

This Sunday morning we’ll focus our time together, in the corporate worship, solely around the Lord’s Supper.  Our songs will be interspersed with the message of Christ’s sacrifice.  Often we come together, and often we sing and prayer, but our prayer is that we will keep in memory all the things Jesus said.  Sunday morning would be a good time to, “join me for supper.”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, January 26, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Come, Let Us All Unite to Sing” -121

As our country struggled in the early years before the Civil War, a song of unification was penned.  That same spiritual song will serve as our opening song of encouragement this Sunday morning.  “Come, let us all unite to sing…God is love!”  The call is for every soul to wake up from the sleep of death (sin), and make sweet music in his heart…for Jesus’ sake.  Why?  Simply because God is love!

“He Has Made Me Glad” -103

Taken from the Psalms (100th chapter) this contemporary ‘psalm’ expresses our wish to come before the Lord with singing.  We sing about thankfully entering through His gates and praising Him in His courts.  Today is the day the Lord has made…how will you react to it?  If He has made you glad, REJOICE!

Rose of Sharon“Jesus, Rose of Sharon” -568

A song from years gone by and one that is not often sung amidst all our contemporary options.  But what a power message that references the Old Testament.  The Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon) is used poetically and expresses the beauty of the one who is loved.  Do you see Jesus as beautiful in His sacrifice and love for you?  There is so much more to this rose which grew in Sharon’s plain (Isaiah 35) besides it’s beauty.  It possessed qualities for healing and health as noted in the third verse; “Jesus, Rose of Sharon, balm for every ill, may Thy tender mercy’s healing power distil for afflicted souls of weary burdened men, giving needy mortals health and hope again…”

“Oft We Come Together” -no book

Written and composed by Tillit S. Teddlie, this song focuses on the Lord’s Supper and fits well with our message this morning.  Would that we truly worship as we eat the bread and drink the cup.  But not only should we have a worshipful heart, we should be together as one (in one accord) without decisions or division.  “Help us Lord, Thy love to see…”

“Til My Faith Becomes Sight -836

A beautiful song of prayer as we identify six specific names for Jesus, the Christ.  1) Bread of Life 2) pure Living Water 3) Lover of my soul 4) Lamb of God 5) Savior 6) Lord & King…Don’t fear the world, it may ‘slay’ you, but He is the light darkness.  Keep your eyes on Him til your faith becomes sight.

“When I See the Blood” -no book

Perhaps not familiar to most, this song was written in 1892 and uses the exact wording found in Exodus 12:13, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”  As the children of Israel prepared to leave Egypt by the delivering hand of God, they are given some specific instructions.  We too are delivered (blessed) by ‘the blood.’  But for us it’s not lamb’s blood, but the blood of THE LAMB.

“There is Power in the Blood” -903

Question…‘would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?  There’s power in the blood.”  Focusing on the Supper we have taken the bread and now we’ll take of the cup.  The cup that represents His blood.  The power of life eternal comes from the blood of the Savior.  There is power!

“Hallelujah!  What a Savior” -337

Isaiah prophesied of a Messiah who would be a ‘man of sorrows’ (Isaiah 53:3).  We’ll sing of the Son of God who came for the sinner.  A Savior who bore our shame and was condemned for our pardon.  We are guilty and vile (full of wickedness) and He is a spotless Lamb of God.  He was lifted up to die, but now exalted on high…how can we not sing, “Hallelujah! What a Savior.”       

A Theology Written in Blood…August 4th

drop of bloodChristian’s understand and believe that faith is based on an eternal promise, an everlasting covenant.  And as we consider a covenant, it’s logical to conclude that it should be confirmed in writing.  But one written, confirmed, with blood?  Obviously a holy promise, a divine theology, that is written in blood must be of the highest importance.  Since blood is essential to life, it’s no surprise that this covenant is indispensable for our eternal survival as well.  Simply stated, without blood…we die!

Remember Romans 3; “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith.” Thanks be to God for this theology, written in blood!

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, August 4, 2013

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Nothing But the Blood” -902baptism2

‘What can wash away my sins?’  A question many have sung for years, and we know the answer, ‘…nothing, but the blood of Jesus.’  When we sing the third verse take note of the second line in the verse, ‘naught of good that I have done…’  Translated; of all the good things I have done in this life, ZERO of that can atone for my sin.  Nothing can bring us to God except the blood of Jesus.

“There is Power in the Blood” – 903

As part of this short medley we’ll continue our thought about the blood of Jesus and His saving power.  We continue with another question.  Not what can wash away my sin, but a question of do you want your sins to be washed away?  ‘Would you be free from the burden of sin?’  Is so, the blood of Jesus can cleanse you.

“In Christ Alone” – no book

A song of admonition that we’ll sing as we prepare our minds to partake of the Lord’s supper.  A memorial of His death, burial and resurrection.  As verse one consist of recognizing our Cornerstone, solid ground and Comforter, verse two takes us from His birth to His crucifixion.  Those who know this song cherish the third verse.  As we begin singing softly of His burial, our voices ‘burst forth’ as we sing of His resurrection.  The final verse gives us assurance in Christ as we sing, ‘No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand…’  This video features one man’s voice, harmonizing together to the glory of God.

“Nearer Still Nearer” – 478

Following the Lord’s supper we’ll sing this hymn expressing a strong desire to stay ‘close to (His) Thy heart…’  Listen to the words you’re singing and you’ll notice that the nearer we draw to God, the further we draw away from sin and its folly (foolishness).  Would that we willingly resign, give up, all of life’s pleasures, pomp and pride so that we draw nearer…still nearer to our God.

“There is a Redeemer” – 287

We sing the affirmation of this contemporary hymn/spiritual song as we proclaim, “There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son…” Melody Green wrote, and we sing, a song of thanks to God.  “Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son and leaving with us the gift of Your Holy Spirit…until (the work) our work on earth is done.”  Maybe we should be asking ourselves, ‘How am I doing with my work?’

“There’s a Royal Banner” – 627

Before we listen to the lesson Robert has prepared for us, we’ll sing about our mission as Christians.  The purpose of this ‘song before the lesson’ is found in the second verse.  ‘Over land and sea, wherever man may dwell, make the glorious tidings known; of the CRIMSON BANNER now the story tell, while the Lord shall claim His own…’  In Exodus 17, after the Amalekites are defeated, we read, Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner…” The banner is a symbol from the battlefield.  As soldier’s of Christ we too have a symbolic banner; one that’s crimson, blood red.  Do you fly this banner in your life?

“There’s a Fountain Free” – 909

Perhaps one of my favorite invitation songs has the chorus ask the question, “Will you come to the fountain fountainfree?”  When we consider the words of Jeremiah the prophet we better understand the fountain; “O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:13)  It’s interesting to me that 3 times the author writes ‘hasten’ (come quickly) to the fountain.  Yet sadly, in this ‘fast-paced world’, the ‘living stream’ is the one place many are slow to approach.

“There is a Habitation” – 860

Leaving this morning we’ll encourage each other with these simple words; ‘…I long to see heaven!’  How ready are you for the Lord’s return?  Is the abode you seek eternal?  The heavenly city we seek has a foundation that’s firm and eternal.  One we can anticipate because of the atonement we have through the blood of Christ.