Words for Reflection

The believer sanctifies himself that God's purpose may not be frustrated in him, but find glorious fruition.  Only he does so in constant reliance on divine grace.  It would be a mistake to confine the province of faith to justification.  All progress in holiness depends on it.  It is the element, the atmosphere in which the Christian lives, that which imparts to his works their sacrificial character and makes them pleasing to God.  And, because, thanks to God, it is deeper in him than his deepest sin, even when he fails and falls, he does not despair, nor is utterly forsaken. God's witness remains in him; he can say with Peter: "Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love thee!" Finally, the Lord here assures the hungry and thirsty ones, that they shall be satisfied. 

Geerhardus Vos, Grace and Glory

 

Sermon Notes -- The Body and the Table of the New Creation (I Corinthians 11:17-22)

Reverend Jason Little

 

The Need: Broken relationships; relating just as the world does ... poor & needy not taken care of, haves & have-nots within the church totally separated and distant

 

The Gospel: Giving to us Jesus -- cling to Jesus, and your relationships will be transformed.  Remember who Jesus is to you and you will remember who you are to be to one another.  'On the night he was betrayed...' and then extends the bread and wine as forgiveness and grace.

 

Application: Have to feel and own that as much as we belong to Jesus, we belong to one another.  What's important is that we feast, together.  As we come to Him, our lives are woven into each other.  Coming together to feast is the chance to rehearse forgiveness and reconciliation.  To love each other, we much worship together. 

 

Order of Worship, May 5 2013

Grace Presbyterian Church

 





Words for reflection

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy... (I Cor. 1.2).  Paul's salutation makes us uncomfortable: 'called to be holy ones,' literally, 'saints.'  In our world, saints populate stained glass windows, medals and automobile dashboards.  A politician will sometimes assure us: 'I'm no saint.'  He makes this modest disclaimer to divert attention from his past and assures us that he is human.  Under the scorn that dismisses saintliness lies a guilty avoidance of what it means to be human.  As rebels, we prefer to think that a saint is abnormal -- to be admired, perhaps, as a Mother Teresa, but not a real human being.  To be holy is to be genuinely human, for holiness is godliness, and life without God is life without meaning.

Edmund P. Clowney, The Church

Corporate Confession of Sin

Father, You have called us to follow Jesus and live Christ-like lives. 

You have called us to let the gospel shape our hearts. 

However, we come to You this morning, confessing

that we have allowed the world to shape us instead of Your lovingkindness. 

Where You desire us to serve, we have sought to be served. 

Where you desire us to sacrifice, we have sought self protection. 

Where You have sought us to engage, we have remained aloof. 

Where You have sought us as Your children, we have lived as orphans. 

Now, Father, accept our confession and receive us gladly.  

We do not ask for Your grace because we deserve it. 

We even doubt our ability to confess with full honesty the depth of our sin. 

Father pardon us for the sake of Jesus.  

Assurance of Pardon

God made Christ who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God!  2 Corinthians 5:21

Order of Worship, January 13 2013

Grace Presbyterian Church