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Living with Vision

May 31, 2020

ORDER OF WORSHIP

∞ GOD GATHERS ∞

Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship based on Exodus 20

When Moses gathered the people of Israel, God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” As we gather today, let us worship the Lord, who continues to be our God, and who still brings us out of the places of bondage.

Hymn of Praise Come, Let Us Praise What God Has Done i (verse 1) Come, let us praise what God has done, And all that God will do, Whose love is older than the sun, And yet forever new.

(verse 2) When slaves in Egypt, long ago, Were pleading to be free, God said, through Moses, "Let them go!", And led them through the sea.

(verse 3) Remembering that old surprise, In exile and despair, The prophets cried, "Awake! Arise! The way of God prepare!"

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Hymn Come, Let Us Praise What God Has Done (cont.) (verse 4) God's freeing love again was shown: By pagan king's decree The people came rejoicing home, For all the world to see.

(verse 5) And what of Christ, who rose from death When life and hope were lost, And gave us, by the Spirit's breath, The pow'r of Pentecost?

(verse 6) Through many years, and still today, Christ, endlessly alive, Has traveled with us on our way, And waits where we arrive.

(verse 7) Let ev'rything that God has done Our faith and hope renew To love and honor ev'ryone And show what God can do.

Prayer of Praise

Songs of Praise On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand ii (verse 1) On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand, And cast a wishful eye To Canaan’s fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie.

Songs of Praise On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand (cont.) (verse 2) All o’er those wide-extended plains, Shines one eternal day. There, God the Son forever reigns, And scatters night away.

(CHORUS) I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land. (repeat)

(verse 3) No chilling winds, nor poisonous breath Can reach that healthful shore; Sickness, sorrow, pain, and death Are felt and feared no more.

(verse 4) When shall I reach that happy place, And be forever blessed? When shall I see my Father’s face, And in His bosom rest? (chorus 2x)

I am bound for the Promised Land.

Songs of Praise (cont.) The Only Name (Yours Will Be) iii (verse 1) Yours will be The only Name that matters to me, The only One whose favor I seek, The only Name that matters to me.

(verse 2) Yours will be The friendship and affection I need, To feel my Father smiling on me, The only Name that matters to me.

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Songs of Praise The Only Name (Yours Will Be) (cont.)

(chorus) And Yours is the Name, The Name that has saved me. Mercy and grace, The pow’r that forgave me. And Your love Is all I’ve ever needed.

(verse 3) Yours will be The only Name that matters to me, The only One whose favor I seek, The only Name that matters to me. (chorus)

(bridge) When I wake up in the land of glory, And with the saints, I will tell my story; There will be one Name That I proclaim. (repeat)

(interlude) La la, la la, la la, la la, la la. La la, la la, la la, la la, la la. La la, la la, la la, la la, la la la la.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, just that Name. (repeat)

(bridge) (interlude 2x)

∞ GOD RENEWS ∞

Silent Confession of Sin

Assurance of Grace Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Pastoral Prayer

Song of Preparation Come, Lord Jesus iv (CHORUS) Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

(verse 1) Come again to claim your own, Come to reap what you have sown, All creation weeps and groans for you. It’s to you that we belong, It’s to you we lift our song, How our spirits look and long for you. (chorus)

(verse 2) Like a thief in dead of night, Come, our everlasting light, Let your brilliance shame the brightest day. With your voice like endless seas, Wielding swords and stars and keys, Bring the nations to their knees, we pray. (chorus)

(verse 3) For though fitful is our flame, You’re from age to age the same. Jesus, faithful is your name, and true. So until the sun does rise, Till your trumpets rend the skies, Help us keep our restless eyes on you. (chorus)

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∞ GOD FEEDS ∞

Scripture Reading Revelation 15:1 – 16:21

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

16 1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven

angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”

7 And I heard the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

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15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

Sermon The Power and the Glory

Hymn of Praise I Will Sing the Wondrous Story v (verse 1) I will sing the wondrous story Of the Christ who died for me, How he left the realms of glory For the cross on Calvary.

(CHORUS) Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story Of the Christ who died for me, Sing it with the saints in glory, Gathered by the crystal sea.

(verse 2) I was lost: but Jesus found me, Found the sheep that went astray, Raised me up and gently led me Back into the narrow way. (chorus)

Hymn of Praise I Will Sing the Wondrous Story (cont.)

(verse 3) Faint was I, and fears possessed me, Bruised was I from many a fall; Hope was gone, and shame distressed me: But his love has pardoned all. (chorus)

(verse 4) Days of darkness still may meet me, Sorrow’s path I oft may tread; But his presence still is with me, By his guiding hand I’m led. (chorus)

(verse 5) He will keep me till the river Rolls its waters at my feet: Then he’ll bear me safely over, Made by grace for glory meet. (chorus)

∞ GOD SENDS ∞

Benediction

Postlude

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GOING DEEPER

This passage modulates the wrath of God into the new key of love so that we can see it for what it is.

Quoting Thomas Long, Pastor Bryan pointed out that “to speak of God’s wrath is to speak of God’s liberating and redemptive love pitted against all that opposes it, all that would keep humanity captive and in slavery…” What new perspectives on the wrath of God does this definition open up for you?

Viewed in this light, God’s wrath is really an expression of his concern for justice. If we use Ron Sider’s definition of justice, “Dignified participation in community,” how would your attitudes to justice in the world be reshaped?

This text reminds us that worship is, among other things, a time of vision correction. We see God, our world, and others in deeply distorted ways. How does John’s vision of worship in chapters 15 and 16 function as a pair of corrective lenses?

If we’re honest, our worship is sometimes oriented to “a better me…now!” The vision of worship in these chapters is so remarkably God-centered. What could account for the fact that too often we don’t experience worship as being lost in “wonder, love, and praise”?

Parents, C. S. Lewis says we praise what we love. Perhaps you could help your children see the connection between the praise of God (certainly in worship but in other contexts as well) and loving him by helping them see the connection between things they love and then saying to others, “Oh man, have you tried….have you seen…have you gotten…have you read…have you played?” or other similar questions.

Cover: Uncertain Waters, Betsy Steele Halstead

i One Life, One Faith, One Baptism #508; tune: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing ii Words by Samuel Stennett, Music by Christopher Miner © 1997 Christopher Miner

Music; CCLI#542165 iii Benji Cowart © 2011 Word Music, LLC (Admin. by WB Music Corp.); CCLI #542165

iv Dustin Kensrue © 2013 Dead Bird Theology (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) It's All

About Jesus Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) We Are Younger We Are Faster Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI #542165 v Trinity Hymnal #180