This Sunday is the first one of the month, which means we get to celebrate the Lord's Supper together, and remind ourselves of the body and blood of Jesus which were given up as a ransom for our redemption from sin! Take some extra time this week, as you prepare, to ask God to help the simple taking of the cracker and the cup to newly refresh our perspective on the gospel, that we might hold a little dearer, and treasure a little more, the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
This week we'll start our service with "Fortunate," a song we learned a couple of weeks ago, that reminds us how blessed we are in the Lord, and reminds us of how we should live in light of that blessing; a great way to focus our minds and hearts.
Pastor Todd will lead us in prayer to dedicate the morning to God, and to ask his blessing on it. Then, John Book will come and give us a little glimpse into the trip he took with his family to Japan recently to work with Campus Crusade over there. He'll show a few pictures, and then give us some things to pray for as they head into a new year on campus at UCLA. He'll also have some more informational materials in the lobby so you can find more ways to be involved with this crucial ministry to students.
We'll continue singing with "Marvelous Light" that reminds us that we once dwelt in the darkness of our sin, in bondage, with no hope of paying our debt to a perfect God, when he extended his kindness and mercy to us through Christ, and called us out into the light of life!
We then turn our attention to the Son, and consider his perfect obedience and humility in submitting himself to the Father's will, and taking on humanity to come and pay the price for our sin. Jesus is truly our "Humble King."
Pastor Todd will then come and teach us from Matthew 5:5 where we are reminded that in the same way that Jesus submitted himself, we are to show meekness in our lives, for it is the meek that will inherit the earth!
We'll then share communion together, and sing an old gospel hymn that asks Jesus to keep us near the cross, and to always remember it, and to continually kneel before it, as we lay our sins at his feet through our confession: "Near The Cross."
We'll close our time together by exclaiming "Hallelujah (Your love is amazing!)" as we take up our own crosses and follow Christ out into the world, that we might be his voice in our land!
Happy preparation!
ps. the video I found for that last song is so great, that even if you know the song, you should check it out...
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