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CITY REFORMED CHURCH · 2020-05-23 · 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished

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Page 1: CITY REFORMED CHURCH · 2020-05-23 · 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished

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CITY REFORMED CHURCH

Gospel ✤ Community ✤ Mission

cityreformedchurch.org

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REFLECTIONS

So between the death of Christ and the Last Day it is only by a gracious anticipation of the last things that Christians are privileged to live in visible fellowship with other Christians. It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember as the Psalmist did, how they went “with the multitude . . . to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (Ps. 42:4). But they remain alone in far countries, a scattered seed according to God’s will. Yet what is denied them as an actual experience they seize upon more fervently in faith . . . The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

[cover art] Wood engraving

The Sabbath Artist Ilya Schor

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SUNDAY WORSHIP

May 24th, 2020

Ascension Sunday

PRELUDE GREETING

Minister: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

CALL TO WORSHIP — Psalm 68:32-35

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord,

to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.

Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.

Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

PRAYER OF ADORATION

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Jesus Shall Reign

Words: Isaac Watts

Music: John Hatton/Enfield Music

1. Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does its successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more. 2. To Him shall endless prayer be made, and praises throng to crown his head. His name like sweet perfume shall rise with every morning sacrifice. 3. People and realms of every tongue dwell on his love with sweetest song, and infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on his name. 4. Let every creature rise and bring the highest honors to our King, angels descend with songs again, and earth repeat the loud amen.

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Sacred Reading ~ John 17:1-11 Hearing Scripture read aloud is an act of worship. It has been the practice of the church for thousands of years to have portions of the Bible read during worship services. The assumption behind this practice is that we are people who need to be shaped by all of God’s word

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. Reader: The grass withers and the flowers fall. People: but the Word of our God stands forever.

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Be Still, My Soul Words: Katharina von Schlegel, 1855

Music: Jean Sibleius, 1899

1. Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake To guide the future, as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on When we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

4. Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high; Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways, So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye. Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

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CALL TO CONFESSION—Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Prayer of Confession (unison)

Righteous God, you have crowned Jesus Christ as Lord of all. We confess that we have not bowed before him and we are slow to acknowledge his rule. We give allegiance to the powers of this world and fail to be governed by justice and love. In your mercy, forgive us. Raise us to acclaim him ruler of all, Obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Silent Confession

You are invited to personalize your confession as you pray silently.

Words of Encouragement—based on Revelation 5:5, 9-10 Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. With his blood he has purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. He has made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. People: Thanks be to God!

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At the Name of Jesus

Words: Caroline Noel, 1870

Music: Jonathan Gilley, 1996

© 2001 Same Old Dress Music / Used under CCLI License #11150089

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PASSING THE PEACE OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

The offering is a way for Christians to participate in the mission and ministry of the church. Christians offer a sacrificial portion of their resources–time, talents, possessions–as an act of faith and gratitude in response to God’s grace. Offerings are a part of our worship service as an opportunity for the regular, proportionate and generous giving of the resources God has given us. If you are a guest today please feel under no compulsion to give.

PRAYING THE PSALMS (Psalm 133) Leader: Behold, how good and pleasant it is

when brothers and sisters dwell in unity!

All: It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

Leader: It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!

All: For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

PASTORAL PRAYER

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

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GOD SPEAKS TO US—Romans 14, ESV As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

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GOD’S WORD AMONG HIS PEOPLE Pastor Chris Ganski Sermon Series: How to Survive the Apocalypse Sermon:

Getting Along in a Post Covid-19 World

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SONG OF MOSES

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my refuge; the Lord has become my Savior. Alleluia! Christ has risen! This is my God and I will praise him, the God of my people and I will exalt him. The Lord is a mighty warrior; Yahweh is his Name. Alleluia! Christ conquered death! The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has hurled into the sea; the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea. The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; they sank into the depths like a stone. Alleluia! Christ has overcome hell! Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders? Alleluia! Christ has defeated Satan and all the powers and principalities! You stretched forth your right hand; the earth swallowed them up. With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling. Alleluia! Christ has swallowed up sin and death! You will bring your people in and plant them on the mount of your possession, The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established. The Lord shall reign forever and forever. Alleluia! Christ is risen! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen

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APOSTLE’S CREED

All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

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In Christ Alone Words and Music: Getty/Townend

1. In Christ alone, my hope is found, He is my light my strength my song. This Cornerstone this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love what depths of peace; When fears are stilled when strivings cease; My Comforter my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand. 2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe; This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross, as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied; For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live. 3. There in the ground His body lay— Light of the world by darkness slain, Then bursting forth in glorious Day, Up from the grave He rose again. And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His, and He is mine, Bought with the precious blood of Christ. 4. No guilt in life, no fear in death— This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand. Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

© 2001 Thank You Music/Used under CCLI License #11150089

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BENEDICTION AND DISMISSAL Minister: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to

come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

People: Amen. Minister: Now in the power of Holy Spirit let us go out to bear witness to Jesus

Christ and to seek the peace of Milwaukee as beloved children of the Father.

People: Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!

MUSICIANS Sarah Reimer, piano

Rusty Dahler, vocals

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