Preparing For Worship: October 26th, 2008

I think Autumn has been attempting to poke through the blanket of hot Southern California weather this month, to little avail, and as we head to November we are forced to seek the charm of Autumn in Starbucks' seasonal beverages and other artificial reminders.

Looking ahead to the coming months, and in particular the Christmas season, I want see if there would be any interest in forming a Crossroads Christmas Choir that would minister to the church during the month of December. If you're interested, leave me a comment at the end of this post, or shoot me an email: phoover@lifeatcrossroads.org.

As we focus on how to prepare for this coming Sunday, Pastor Todd will be taking a break from the Sermon on the Mount series to address an important topic, one that is especially timely in the light of the upcoming elections.

He will be talking about what the Bible says about marriage. While I'm sure many of us would agree with way the Bible says marriage must be ordered, there are likely many different opinions, and intensity of opinions, as to how this should be played out in the public realm, with regards to government and non-Christians. Pastor Todd will give us not only the Biblical teaching on marriage, but the implications that they have for us as we strive to be "salt and light" in the world.

As we begin the service, we'll declare our weakness, frailty, and hunger for God by singing "Hungry." It's a great song to corporately seek God's work in our church body as one, and in our lives as individuals.

Pastor Todd will come and lead us in prayer to commit the service to the glory of God, and then we'll have a few minutes to meet and greet before we keep singing.

For the next set, I've chosen a few songs that talk about God's holiness. "Holy" is the idea of being set apart, and God is infinitely set apart, and over and above everything we know. His holiness is displayed in his various perfections: perfect justice, perfect love, perfect mercy, perfect power, etc. So we will corporately recognize his infinite holiness, and as a result, acknowledge our infinite shortcomings in meeting the standard of perfection he maintains. We'll sing "Holy is the Lord" and "God of Wonders" which really express God's holiness in profound ways.

As we consider the holiness of God, we must realize that God has commanded us to pursue holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16). How in the world are we supposed to be holy as God is holy?? We are battling the sinful nature within us, and can hardly go hours without sinning in some fashion! We realize that while we pursue holiness in our daily lives, and often fall short, IN CHRIST we have been granted perfect holiness through his death and resurrection! We'll sing the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul," which expresses this truth in such beautiful language:

My sin,
(oh the bliss of this glorious thought!)
My sin
(not in part, but the whole!!)
Was nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more!
Praise the Lord,
Praise the Lord oh my soul!

I love how the author interrupts himself twice because he's so excited and overwhelmed by the power of the gospel over sin.

Pastor Todd will then come and teach us what the Bible says about marriage, and the responsibility it places on us as the preserving moral agents living in a fallen world.

We'll respond corporately by singing "Surrender" in submission to God's perfect Word, and his commands for how we should live. And we'll end the service by singing "Be Unto Your Name," again proclaiming the holiness of God, and his infinite greatness and worthiness of all praise.

That's what's going on this week. Looking forward to seeing your faces and worshiping with you!

Happy preparation!