Preparing For Worship: September 6, 2009

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. -1 Peter 2:9

How stinkin' true that is! And how often we take it for granted. The people of God of which those things are true, is gathering as one to lift up the name of their Redeemer and God. They're gathering to sing songs of praise, to offer him their gifts of service and resources, and to build up and equip those that they worship with.

We're going to sing a song right out of that verse to start the service: "Marvelous Light." The idea that we were once lost in darkness, dead in our sin, may be a new idea to some. It might be new because they are exactly IN that position! Let God's people (remember, that's YOU) pray that some might come to that knowledge, and be rescued out of that darkness into God's marvelous light even this week!!

Pastor Todd will do his pastorly welcome and prayer, and all that good stuff, and we'll jump right back into singing as we proclaim the gospel through the song "Perfect Savior."

Tell me if this happens to you guys also:

You remember the great truth and power of the gospel in your life, and you remind yourself of the joy of salvation, and of living life to serve God, and then a half-a-second later you practically forget about it; whether you stumble over some sin you struggle with, or take your trust off Christ to worry about something in life, or whatever it may be. This is constantly happening in my life, and I am quick to let doubt in to my mind and wonder if the work of the cross is really complete in my life; if there's some way that my sin is causing it to falter.

That's why I chose to do our newest song: "Completely Done" right after our song about the gospel, to INSTANTLY remind us of the power and truth of what we've just finished singing, and that it IS completely done in our lives if we've put our faith in Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. That's IT. Nothing more, nothing less.

Pastor Todd will preach from the book of Philippians this week as we gear up to launch in to our next study in the book of Ephesians. He's calling his sermon "Build-A-Christian" and he's preaching from Philippians 2:19-30 so CLICK HERE to read the text and be prepared to track with him.

Since it's the first Sunday of the month, we'll celebrate communion together, and sing "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" to help us remember and meditate on that dreadful night that Christ took all of our sin onto himself so we could be free.

We'll finish the service with the victory cry: "Jesus Paid It All" and try to infuse the gospel into every part of our being as we go out into the world as ambassadors for Christ.

That's the scoop, now go get ready. See you Sunday!