Worship Service | August 2, 2020

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING (Psalm 9:2)

I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

ADORATION

HOW GREAT THOU ART

VERSE 1
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.



CHORUS
Then sings my soul! My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

VERSE 2
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin

VERSE 3
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, 'my God, how great Thou art'!


CONFESSION

CALL AND RESPONSE

LEADER:
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, We need Your forgiveness. We have dishonored your mercy by equating it with temporary delights. Our trust in your compassion has risen and fallen with the comforts we receive in this world. Forgive us, for we are guilty of expecting full satisfaction in this life and then assuming that you bless those expectations. So now we plead that in Christ we would find our greatest need met:

TOGETHER:
Accept His worthiness for our unworthiness, His sinlessness for our transgressions, His purity for our uncleanness, His sincerity for my guile, His truth for our lies, His meekness for our pride, His loyalty for our backsliding, His love for our enmity, His faithfulness for our treachery, His obedience for our lawlessness, His glory for our shame, His righteousness for our dead works, His death for our lives.

Amen

ASSURANCE

SCRIPTURE READING (Revelation 5:9–10)

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

MY ONE COMFORT

VERSE 1
My one comfort both in life and death
Is that I am not my own
I was bought with blood and I confess
I belong to You alone



CHORUS 1
By the Father’s good decreeJ
Jesus, You’ve delivered me
By Your Spirit set me free
To follow You

BRIDGE 1
Jesus, You have taken hold of me
And in Your grip of grace
I’m finally free

THANKSGIVING

PASTORAL PRAYER

PASSING THE PEACE

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING (Mark 9:38–50)

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:38–50 ESV)

SERMON

“Ally and Enemy” (Mark 9:38–50)
Pastor Adam Stahr

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, CONSECRATION

INSTRUCTIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
PARTAKING AND PRAYER

SONGS OF RESPONSE

IN THE SHADOW OF THE GLORIOUS CROSS

VERSE 1
In the shadow of the glorious cross
Compelled by grace to cast my lot
I'll discard the loss and bare your name
Forsaking all for your own fame

VERSE 2
Your hymn of grace sung over me Abounding forth in glorious streams
My thirst is quenched by you my Lord
Sustained am I redeemed restored
Sustained am I redeemed restored

CHORUS
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

VERSE 3
When death's dark shadow's at my feet
When I am plagued by unbelief
You place my hands into your side By precious blood identified
By precious blood identified

VERSE 4
These crowns I've clenched with fisted hands
I cast them down before the throne
Of Christ my God the worthy lamb
Christ crucified, the Great I AM.
Christ crucified, the Great I AM.
Christ crucified, the Great I AM.

DOXOLOGY

VERSE 1
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

CHORUS
Amen



COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION

---

“My One Comfort” 
Dustin Kensrue
© 2013 Dead Bird Theology, It's All About Jesus Music, and We Are Younger We Are Faster Music

“In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross”
Rebecca Elliott and Brooks Ritter
© 2007 Sojourn Community Church

CCLI License #5060866

Worship Service | July 19, 2020

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING (Ephesians 1:2–4)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. …

ADORATION

FIX MY EYES

VERSE 1
When my heart is weary,
When my soul is weak
When it seems I can't
Traverse the trail before me

I survey the glory
Of Your agony
And I find the will to fight
For what's before me
Cause You ran the race
Enduring for Your glory

CHORUS 1
I fix my eyes on You,
The Founder and
the Finisher of our faith
I fix my eyes on You,
The solace in Your suffering
is my strength

VERSE 2
As I fight to follow,
You're my righteous guide
And You train me to delight
In all that's holy

Heal my broken body,
Cure my crooked stride
Throw off every weight and sin
That clings so closely
I will run the race
Enduring for Your glory

BRIDGE 1
You help me breathe,
You're the only life I need
You died for me,
You're the only life I need

CONFESSION

CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful Lord, we confess that with us there is an abundance of sin, but in you there is the fullness of righteousness and abundance of mercy. We are spiritually poor, but you are rich and in Jesus Christ came to be merciful to the poor. Strengthen our faith and trust in you. We are empty vessels that need to be filled; fill us. We are weak in faith; strengthen us. We are cold in love; warm us, and make our hearts fervent for you that our love may go out to one another and to our neighbors. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HELP MY UNBELIEF

VERSE 1
I know the Lord is nigh
And would but cannot pray
For Satan meets me when I try
And frights my soul away
And frights my soul away

VERSE 2
I would but can’t repent
Though I endeavor oft
This stony heart can ne’er relent
Till Jesus makes it soft
Till Jesus makes it soft

VERSE 3
I would but cannot love
Though wooed by love divine
No arguments have power to move
A soul as base as mine
A soul so base as mine

VERSE 4
I would but cannot rest
In God’s most holy will
I know what He appoints is best
And murmur at it still
I murmur at it still

CHORUS
Help my unbelief
Help my unbelief
Help my unbelief
My help must come from Thee

ASSURANCE

SCRIPTURE READING (Hebrews 10:11–14)

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

THANKSGIVING

PASTORAL PRAYER

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING (Mark 9:14–29)

SERMON

“Help My Unbelief” (Mark 9:14–29)
Pastor Todd Bumgarner

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, CONSECRATION

INSTRUCTIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
PARTAKING AND PRAYER

SONGS OF RESPONSE

BRING YOUR SICK

VERSE 1
Bring your sick, your restless fevered,
filled with anxious shaking moans,
Who would kill for some relief from,
all the itching in their bones.

Who still search for some elixir,
that could ease their gasping breath,
Some sweet drink to drive the poison,
from the writhing in their head.

VERSE 2
Bring your wounded, all your broken,
who can’t stand up on their own.
Who are weak beyond dignity,
who will never become strong.

They will only need more helping,
each investment is a loss.
Yes, bring all those who could never,
return any of their cost

CHORUS
Jesus Christ, says “Gather to Me,
all you lost, you poor, you dead!
I’m your sacrifice, your ransom,
I was given in your stead.

I have found you,
freed you, healed you,
My compassion you can trust,
I redeem the undeserving,
I am generous with My love.”

VERSE 3
Bring your fearful, bring your cowards,
bring your hiding cornered strays.
Those who fly at every shadow,
those who run without a chase.

Bring the cursed, abused, neglected,
who have lived their lives in caves,
Who distrust the light as darkness,
while they long to be embraced.

VERSE 4
Bring your bound,
the souls imprisoned,
bullied by the threat of pain,
Who have tried and tried for freedom,
but have always failed escape.

Those who live with their aggressor,
whisp’ring doubts into their ear,
Who dare not hope on a savior,
lest they be crushed by despair.

KING OF MY HEART

VERSE 1
Let the King of my heart
Be the mountain where I run
The fountain I drink from
Oh, He is my song.

Let the King of my heart
Be the shadow where I hide
The ransom for my life
Oh, He is my song.

VERSE 2
Let the King of my heart
Be the wind inside my sails
The anchor in the waves
Oh, He is my song.

Let the King of my heart
Be the fire inside my veins
The echo of my days
Oh, He is my song.

CHORUS 1
You are good, good, oh
You are good, good, oh
You are good, good, oh
You are good, good, oh

BRIDGE 1
You’re never gonna let,
Never gonna let me down
You’re never gonna let,
Never gonna let me down
You’re never gonna let,
Never gonna let me down
You’re never gonna let,
Never gonna let me down

ENDING
When the night is holding on to me
God is holding on
When the night is holding on to me
God is holding on

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION BASED ON ISAIAH 26:3-4

---

“Fix My Eyes”
Brian Eichelberger, Chad Gardner, and Naida Essenpreis
© 2014 Asaphs Arrows, Moms Like Us Too, Remaining portion is unaffiliated

“Help My Unbelief”
Andrew Thompson
© 2005 Andrew Thompson

“Bring Your Sick”
Nathan Partain
© 2014 Partain, Nathan

“King of My Heart”
John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan
© Meaux Jeaux Music, Raucous Ruckus Publishing, Sarah McMillan Publishing CCLI

License #5060866

Worship Service | July 12, 2020

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

JOHN 3:13–15

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

ADORATION

HOW GREAT THOU ART

VERSE 1
O Lord my God!
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout
the universe displayed.

CHORUS
Then sings my soul!
My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art,
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul!
My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art,
How great Thou art!

VERSE 2
And when I think
that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross,
my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin

VERSE 3
When burdens press,
and seem beyond endurance,
Bowed down with grief,
to Him I lift my face;
And then in love
He brings me sweet assurance:
'My child! for thee
sufficient is My grace'.

VERSE 4
When Christ shall come
with shout of acclamation
And take me home,
what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
in humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
'my God, how great Thou art'!

CONFESSION

CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O that sin may appear to us for what it really is, which is sin! Let us see it in its true colors. Through the perfection of Your commandments let us see sin to be exceedingly sinful. Let us understand sin to be rebellious lawlessness.

By every willful sin we defiantly declare, "We won't have God to reign over us! Who is the Lord that we should obey his voice?" By sin we've shown that we despise you, disregard your laws, and cast them behind our back.

JESUS WHAT A SAVIOR

VERSE
Jesus, what a Savior,
What a Brother, what a Friend
Lifter of the lowly,
God You meet me where I am

Jesus, what a Savior,
What a Brother, what a Friend
Lifter of the lowly,
God You meet me where I am

PRECHORUS
Your heart, it knows no borders,
Knows no walls

You're constantly moving towards me 
With open arms

CHORUS
I've never known a love like Yours
I've never known a love like Yours
I've never known a love like Yours
I've never known a love like Yours

BRIDGE
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
What a beautiful way
You've shown us

Hallelujah, hallelujah,
What a wonderful Savior

Hallelujah, hallelujah,
What a beautiful way
You've shown us

Hallelujah, hallelujah,
What a wonderful Savior

TAG
Jesus, what a Savior,
What a Brother, what a Friend

THANKSGIVING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

TIME OF GREETING

SUPPLICATION

PASTORAL PRAYER

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 9:2–13

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”.”

GLORIOUS KING & SUFFERING SERVANT | MARK 9:2–13

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, & CONSECRATION

INSTRUCTIONS & DISTRIBUTION

PARTAKING & POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

SONGS OF RESPONSE

GOD WITH US

VERSE 1
You've come to bring peace
To be love to be nearer to us
You've come to bring life
To be light to shine brighter in us
Oh Emmanuel God with us

CHORUS
Our Deliverer You are Savior
In Your presence we find our strength
Over everything our redemption
God with us You are God with us

VERSE 2
You've come to be hope to this world
For Your honor and name
You've come to take sin to bear shame
And to conquer the grave
Oh Emmanuel God with us

BRIDGE
You are here You are holy
We are standing in Your glory

GIVE THANKS TO GOD

VERSE 1
(LEADER)
He sent His son to die
and rise again to save us

(TOGETHER)
His never ending love
is steadfast and sure

(LEADER)
He's broken our chains
and given us freedom

(TOGETHER)
Give thanks to God for He is good

VERSE 2
In Him we are alive
and have joy everlasting

His never ending love
is steadfast and sure

He casts out all fear
and fills us with courage

Give thanks to God for He is good

VERSE 3
When storms come and rage
His peace overwhelms us

His never ending love
is steadfast and sure

The Lord is our refuge
when trouble surrounds us

Give thanks to God for He is good

VERSE 4
He's always pouring out
His abundant provision

His never ending love
is steadfast and sure

For the depths of His riches
and incredible wisdom

Give thanks to God for He is good

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION

---

"Jesus What a Savior"
Kirby Kaple
© Kaple Music, Bethel Music Publishing

"God with Us”
Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan
© 2012 Integrity's Praise! Music, Open Hands Music, So Essential Tunes

"Give Thanks to God"
Allan McKinlay and Peter Crockett
© 2016 Allan McKinlay Music Publishing, BEC Worship, Peter Crockett Music Publishing

CCLI License #5060866

Worship Service | July 5, 2020

Complete Liturgy for 2020-07-05

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 105:1–4

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

ADORATION

THE WAY

Oh, and I believe You are

CHORUS
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
I believe You are
The Way, the Truth, and the Life

VERSE 1
I believe through every battle
Through every heartbreak
Through every circumstance

I believe that You are my fortress
You are my portion
You are my hiding place

I believe through every battle
Through every heartbreak
Through every circumstance

I believe that You are my fortress
You are my portion
You are my hiding place

I believe You are

VERSE 2
I believe through every blessing
Through every promise
Through every breath I take

I believe that You are Provider
You are Protector
And You are the One I love

I believe You are

BRIDGE
It's a new horizon
And I'm set on You
And You meet me here today
With mercies that are new

All my fears and doubts,
They can all come too
Because they can't stay long
When I'm here with You

CONFESSION

CORPORATE READING

PHILIPPIANS 3:8–11

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

I SURRENDER ALL

VERSE 1
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

VERSE 2
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now

CHORUS 1
I surrender all!
I surrender all
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour
I surrender all

VERSE 3
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me

CHORUS 2
I surrender all!
I surrender all
All to Thee, my blessed Savior
I surrender all
I surrender all

BRIDGE 1
Oh the joy of full salvation
Sin and death defeated
Glory to His Name

ASSURANCE

SCRIPTURE READING

HEBREWS 6:19–20

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

THANKSGIVING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

TIME OF GREETING

SUPPLICATION

PASTORAL PRAYER

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 8:34–9:1

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS | MARK 8:34–9:1

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, & CONSECRATION

INSTRUCTIONS & DISTRIBUTION

PARTAKING & POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

SONGS OF RESPONSE

IN CHRIST ALONE

VERSE 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

VERSE 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

‘Til 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

VERSE 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

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

VERSE 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

VERSE 5
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand

‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand


CHRIST IS RISEN

VERSE 1
Oh look at the tree
Oh isn't the fruit good to eat

All in Adam will die
Oh in Christ we will all be alive

CHORUS 1
Alleluia!
The stone has been rolled away
Alleluia!
Jesus walked away from the grave

VERSE 2
Oh Death where's your sting?
Oh how you have tasted defeat!

BRIDGE
Oh the bloodshed,
Oh the last breath
Resurrection, Salvation

REFRAIN
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen!
And my soul knows
Sweet salvation

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION

"The Way"
Ben Smith, Daniel Bashta, and Pat Barrett
© Heritage Worship Publishing, Capitol CMG Genesis, Housefires Sounds, Go Forth Sounds, Bread & Wine Sounds

"In Christ Alone”
Keith Getty, Stuart Townend
© 2001 Thankyou Music

"Christ is Risen"
Joe Day, Seth Fikkert
© 2015 Daydreaming, Moms Like Us Too, Remaining portion is unaffiliated

CCLI License #5060866

Worship Service (Lament Service) | June 28, 2020

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

READING

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,

This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of his enemies,
the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable,
the Friend of sinners!

ADORATION

HOLY HOLY HOLY

PROCLAMATION

LEARNING TO LAMENT

PRAYER

TURN

RESPONSIVE READING FROM PSALM 77:1-4

LEADER:
I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.

TOGETHER:
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord.

LEADER:
In the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

TOGETHER:
When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

LEADER:
You hold my eyelids open.

TOGETHER:
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

PRAYER OF TURNING

Father, we come to you in grief. But we come to you. We come to you weak. But we come to you. Sorrow and sadness fill our hearts. But we come to you.

We are surrounded by brokenness. We are immersed in disappointments. We are besieged by out of control circumstances. But we come to you.

Spirit of the Living God, give us the faith needed to lament. Make us not afraid to lament. Remove the fear of being too honest, or too open, or too vulnerable.

Help us reject the despair that says you don't care, that you don't hear, that you're not good, or that nothing is ever going to change.

Speak to us right now, Spirit. Identify in us anything that prevents us from turning to you.

---

God, in our frustrations and in our discouragements and pain, we are tempted to stop talking to you. Tempted to pull away, in anger or disillusionment.

But in this moment, we refuse to refuse to turn to you in our pain.

Help us in our unbelief. Help us believe you are present and believe you are good. Re-orient our hearts to what is true.

Jesus, we draw near to you now, we turn to you now, our great high priest. Let us hold fast our confession. You are not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Would we, with confidence draw near to your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Amen.

IT IS WELL

COMPLAIN

SCRIPTURE READING

LAMENTATIONS 3:1–18

PRAYER OF COMPLAINT

Father, we come humbly before you now in complaint.

With the psalmists, we cry out, "Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"

And, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?"

Jesus, life under the sun is hard. We struggle, not just with our pain, but with you.

Holy Spirit, help us humbly bring our complaints before you now. Help us name specific situations and specific circumstances that are painful, wrong, or unjust.

---

Father, we lay our pain before you.
We lay our honest, pain-filled questions before you.
Our frustrations with you.

We know that you’re not only able to hear, but able to handle our pain, our self-pity, our blame, and our fears.

We know that you’re able to intervene, yet we do not understand why you have not.

God we complain that you feel distant. Remote. We fear that you’re no longer helping, that you’ve for some reason hidden yourself in this time of trouble.

Where are you, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

SATISFIED IN YOU

ASK

RESPONSIVE READING FROM PSALM 22:1-5, 11, 19-21

LEADER
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

TOGETHER
Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

LEADER
But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

PASTORAL PRAYER OF GUIDED ASKING

OH GOD

TRUST

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 13:5-6

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, & CONSECRATION
INSTRUCTIONS & DISTRIBUTION
PARTAKING & POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

IN TENDERNESS

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION

Worship Service | June 21, 2020

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 89:8–9, 13–14

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.

You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

ADORATION

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD

CONFESSION

CORPORATE PRAYER

Merciful Lord, we confess that with us there is an abundance of sin, but in You there is the abundance of mercy. We are spiritually poor, but You are rich and in Jesus Christ came to be merciful to the poor. Strengthen our faith in You.

We are empty vessels that need to be filled; fill us. We are weak in faith; strengthen us. We are lacking in good works that result from faith; compel us. We are cold in love; warm us, that our love may go out to one another and to our neighbors. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FATHER YOU ARE ALL WE NEED

ASSURANCE

CALL AND RESPONSE

LEADER:
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

TOGETHER:
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

(1 John 4:7–10)

THANKSGIVING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

ISAIAH 1:10–20

Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

“When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?

Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,

learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

PASTORAL PRAYER

SEEK JUSTICE | ISAIAH 1:1–10

LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION, INSTITUTION, & CONSECRATION

INSTRUCTIONS & DISTRIBUTION

JESUS YOU ARE WORTHY

PARTAKING & POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

SONGS OF RESPONSE

AMAZING GRACE

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION FROM EPHESIANS 2:8–10

2 Pillars Statement on Racial Justice, Restoration, and Renewal

2 Pillars Church is a part of the Acts 29 Network—a diverse, global family of church planting churches. As a part of this network, we exist in a family of nearly 800 churches worshiping in more than 30 languages across more than 50 nations. 

The elders of 2 Pillars Church stand together with our fellow Acts 29 churches, as well as like-minded churches in our city, in calling for racial justice, restoration, and renewal, by affirming the following statement: 2pillarschurch.com/racial-justice.

Please take some time to read the statement for yourself. May it stir your affections for Jesus and your longing for justice, restoration, and renewal.

Grace and peace.

Worship Service | June 14, 2020

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 95:1–8A

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts

ADORATION

BRING YOUR SICK

CONFESSION

CALL AND RESPONSE

LEADER:
Merciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God. Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness. In your great compassion, blot out our transgressions.

TOGETHER:
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, or take away your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Based on Psalm 51:10-12)

ASSURANCE

PASTORAL ASSURANCE FROM PSALM 139:23-24

HIS MERCY IS MORE

THANKSGIVING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

SCRIPTURE READING

GENESIS 1:26–27

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

EPHESIANS 2:11–22

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

SUPPLICATION

PASTORAL PRAYER

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

THE IMAGO DEI, UNION WITH CHRIST, AND RACISM

LORD’S SUPPER

Invitation, Institution, & Consecration

Instructions & Distribution

Partaking & Post-Communion Prayer

SONGS OF RESPONSE

HOW GREAT THOU ART

ADOPTION

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL EXHORTATION

Worship Service | May 24, 2020

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

MATTHEW 11:28–30

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

ADORATION

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 145:8–13

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

CONFESSION

CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION

We confess to You, Lord, that we are not always the people we like others to think we are; at times we are afraid to admit even to ourselves what lies in the depths of our souls. But we do not want to hide our true selves from You.

We believe that You know us as we are, and yet You still love us. Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge; fill us with godly sorrow for our sin; give us the courage to put our trust in Your guiding power. Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt, fear, and shame and take us into the freedom and hope of forgiven people.

And for those who find forgiveness hard to accept, we ask that You would break their bondage and set them free.

Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

ASSURANCE

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM Psalm 145:14–21

LEADER: The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

TOGETHER: The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

LEADER: The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

TOGETHER: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

LEADER: The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

TOGETHER: My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

THANKSGIVING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

O My God,

You fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves you, for my vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with You ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless you for the soul you have created, for adorning it, for sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;

I bless thee for body you have given me, for preserving its strength and vigor, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears that do Your bidding;

I bless You for Your royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness;

I bless You for social joys of relatives and friends, for ability to serve others, for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, for a mind to care for my fellow-men, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, for my own expectation of seeing You clearly.

I love You above the powers of language to express, for what You are to your creatures. Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

(The Valley of Vision)

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 8:1–21

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

PASTORAL PRAYER

“JESUS IS OUR LIFE” | MARK 8:1–21

COMMISSIONING

BENEDICTION

---

SONGS OF RESPONSE

Listen with Apple Music

Listen with Amazon Music

On Virtual Communion: Why We Are Not Partaking

A number of people within our body have asked if we will/should partake in the Lord’s Supper (aka Communion) in our homes during this time of not gathering together due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a good question and represents a good longing that all of us should feel. 

While we know and respect that some churches are encouraging this practice, the position of the elders of 2 Pillars Church is that we will not be partaking in the Lord’s Supper “virtually”. This position is based on two important reasonings: the nature of the ordinance and the nature of the church.

THE NATURE OF THE ORDINANCE 

The Lord’s Supper is an “ordinance” of the church, meaning it was given (or ordained) by Christ Jesus himself to the church. While we celebrate the Lord’s Supper as an act of remembrance of all that Jesus is and all that he has done for us as individual believers, it’s also much more than simply a remembrance: it is a means of grace and act of nurturing and portraying our unity as Christ’s body. In other words, there is a very important “corporate” aspect central to the very nature of the ordinance. 

Notice the repeated emphasis on the word “together” in 1 Corinthians 11:17-22:

[17] But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. [18] For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, [19] for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. [20] When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. [21] For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. [22] What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 

The “coming together” in this passage was aimed at the entire church in Corinth. In fact, Paul goes so far as to contrast this coming together with eating (not together) in their homes in verse 22. The central problem being addressed in this text is that what the Corinthians were calling the Lord’s Supper was not, in fact, the Lord’s Supper because, they were not waiting until they all came together to partake in it. Later in the same passage, Paul therefore urges,

[33] So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Why this emphasis on coming together? Because the Lord’s Supper portrays our unity as Christ’s body. 

More than that, though, the nature of the ordinance is such that it also nurtures this unity. We see this in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 where Paul is also talking about the Lord’s Supper when he writes,

[16] The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 

Notice Paul does not say that there is one bread because we’re one body, instead he actually says the opposite. We are one body because there is one bread. In other words, there is a sense in which our partaking in the Lord’s Supper together makes us the one body. This is inherent to the nature of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus gave us the Supper to mark us as one—or we might even say, make us as one.

Bobby Jamieson in his helpful little book, Understanding the Lord’s Supper, puts it this way:

“There is a gorgeous simplicity to God’s design for the church. What does it take to make a church? Gospel preaching that creates gospel people who participate in gospel ordinances. The church is the shape into which the gospel and its ordinances form God’s people. Baptism binds one to many, and the Lord’s Supper binds many to one.”

The nurturing of our unity is also evident in Paul’s instructions to examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). In context, what the Corinthians were to be examining themselves for was unity. They were to be “discerning the body”, discerning any divisions that might be present. To eat and drink at the Lord’s Table without consideration for the unity of the body was to partake in an “unworthy manner.”

An important aspect of the nature of the ordinance, then, is that it nurtures our unity. Every time we partake together, we’re portraying with our actions that we are united together by the blood of Jesus as one family. And by our very act of taking the Lord’s Supper together, we are also nurturing that unity. Tending it.

This aspect of the Supper demands physical presence. It’s simply not the same to partake “together” when we’re apart. When we’re apart, we’re not together and therefore we’re not really portraying and nurturing our unity (our “togetherness”) by partaking virtually.

THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH 

One of the things that makes this topic difficult is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the church. The local church is not an otherwise organized collection of random individuals. As the prior section made clear, we are one. We have been united together by the blood of Jesus! Our life is not our own any more, we belong to Jesus and we belong to one another. We have brothers and sisters. We are brother or sister. In a culture strung out on the narcotic of individualism, the Lord’s Supper drives us to detox. 

When Jesus lifted up the cup and said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” The words “new covenant” ought to jump right out of the Bible at us. 

Part of what Jesus was instituting at the Lord’s Supper was the new covenant community. When we drink of the cup, we’re reminded, that we belong. We’re no longer outcasts. We have a Father in heaven who loves us and sent His Son for us. We’re reminded that by believing in Him, we become sons and daughters—adopted into the family—which the Bible calls the new covenant community.

When we partake in the Lord’s Supper together, there is a sense in which the new covenant (instituted by the blood of Jesus and represented in the wine at the Table) is renewed week after week after week and we’re reminded of the new covenant blessings time after time after time. 

But also, the new covenant blessings do not exist apart from the new covenant community which means you cannot commit to the new covenant apart from committing to the new covenant community—which finds expression in the here and now in the local church. 

To receive Christ at his Table, is to receive all those seated next to you at that Table, as your brothers and sisters: regardless of class, regardless of race, regardless of political affiliations, regardless of socio-economical diversity, or history. In Christ, we’ve been made new, and united into one body. 

We are not our own. We have been adopted into a family, a body. This is our understanding of the nature of the church. And our understanding the local church and our understanding of the Lord’s Supper go hand-in-hand. If we have a low view of one, we’ll inevitably have a low view of the other. One of the reasons Jesus instituted this ordinance, was for us to have high view of both. 

In other words, the Lord’s Supper ought to shape how we think about the nature of the local church and the nature of the local church ought to shape how we think about the Lord’s Supper. Our oneness is portrayed and nurtured at the Table and this is absolutely central to who we are as the church. We’re one. 

All of that is easily lost when we’re not together. We can very easily overly-individualize the Lord’s Supper by partaking of it when not together. When we do, we also overly-individualize what it means to be a part of the new covenant community to begin with—the very new covenant community that Jesus referred to when lifting the cup and saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”

MORE ARGUMENTS, CHARITY, & LONGING

Additional arguments could be added for not administering and partaking in the Lord’s Supper virtually including the ordinance being administered by elders, fencing the Table (i.e. preventing non-believers or those in unrepentant sin from partaking in the Supper), and guarding from a sense of false assurance or easy believism. With that said, in this article we’ve chosen to focus strictly on the nature of the ordinance and the nature of the church.

It should also be said that this issue is not nearly as clear cut as we’d like it to be in Scripture. There is no one single passage that explicitly prohibits virtual Communion. Therefore, in no way do we wish to cast stones at devoted brothers and sisters who study the Scriptures and come to a conclusion on the other side. What is represented here is our attempt to hold fast to the Word of God (our ultimate authority for faith and practice) and guard ourselves from being led more primarily by pragmatism.

Lastly, may this article be used to increase your longing to gather together as you reflect on the nature of the Lord’s Supper and the nature of the church. 

Worship Service | May 17, 2020

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

JOHN 1:14, 16

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

ADORATION

SCRIPTURE READING

ROMANS 1:16–17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

CONFESSION

CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, early in the morning I cry to You. Help me to pray And to concentrate my thoughts on You: I cannot do this alone. In me there is darkness, But with You there is light; I am lonely, but You do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help; I am restless, but with You there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience; I do not understand Your ways, But You know the way for me Restore me to liberty, And enable me to live now That I may answer before You and before me. Lord, whatever this day may bring, Your name be praised. Amen.

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

ASSURANCE

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM MATTHEW 5:2–12

LEADER: Jesus taught his disciples, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit,

TOGETHER: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

LEADER: "Blessed are those who mourn,

TOGETHER: for they shall be comforted.

LEADER: "Blessed are the meek,

TOGETHER: for they shall inherit the earth.

LEADER: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

TOGETHER: for they shall be satisfied.

LEADER: "Blessed are the merciful,

TOGETHER: for they shall receive mercy.

LEADER: "Blessed are the pure in heart,

TOGETHER: for they shall see God.

LEADER: "Blessed are the peacemakers,

TOGETHER: for they shall be called sons of God.

LEADER: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

TOGETHER: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

LEADER: "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

TOGETHER: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

THANKSGIVING

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 7:24–37

24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:24–37)

PASTORAL PRAYER

“WE ARE ALL BEGGARS” | MARK 7:24–37

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL BLESSING

May Jesus Christ our Lord continue to meet poor beggars like you and me, with His divine compassion, until the day of His return, or until the day He calls you home.

---

Listen with Apple Music

Listen with Amazon Music

Worship Service | May 10, 2020

CALL TO WORSHIP

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM PSALM 24:1-4:

LEADER: The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?

TOGETHER: Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.

ADORATION

CORPORATE 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.

CONFESSION

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 139:23–24

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

ASSURANCE

WORDS OF BLESSING

May the Father of all mercy, the God of the New Covenant, who has removed your heart of stone and given you a new heart of flesh, renew your heart today with faith in Him. May Jesus Christ, who has taken away your sin, assure you of your forgiveness, and His sacrificial love. And may the Holy Spirit, who has been sent to dwell in you, keep you in His grip, on into eternity.

THANKSGIVING

CORPORATE PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God, from whom comes all that is good, we praise you for all your mercies: For your goodness that has created us, your grace that has sustained us, your wisdom that has challenged us, your patience that has borne with us, and your love that has redeemed us. Help us to love you and all your children and to be thankful for all your gifts, by serving you and delighting to do your will. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 7:14–23

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

PASTORAL PRAYER

“OUTSIDE-IN AND INSIDE-OUT” | MARK 7:14–23

COMMISSIONING

BENEDICTION

---

SONGS OF RESPONSE

Listen with Apple Music

Listen with Amazon Music

The Daily Office

The Daily Office is “a” method for pursuing more ongoing communion with God. This method also goes by the name of the “Divine Hours” and is borrowed largely in concept from Peter Scazzero and his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Portions also come from a guy named Zack Eswine and Tim Keller (who writes about it at the end of his book on prayer). In reality, the method has its roots in something St. Benedict did in his monasteries back in the 6th century, which really built on principles we find in the Bible for set, or “fixed” hours of prayer (see Daniel 6:10, Psalm 119:164, or Psalm 55:17).

In general, what this method encourages is for you to have set times (known as “offices”) throughout your day where you stop, center, and commune with God through a predetermined means (known as “elements”).

How it Works

Step 1: Set the Times

The first step of setting up your Daily Office is to set the times of your offices. These are the predetermined “times of the day” that you’re going to stop and focus intentionally on communing with God.

The number of offices is up to you. You might do three offices (morning, noon, evening); you might do four (adding one right before bed). To begin with, you might just start with two and add a third once you get a rhythm down. This is totally up to you.  

One helpful way to think about when to set the times of your offices is to think about transitions that happen throughout your day. For most of us, there is a transition that happens between early morning and the rest of the morning (for example, before your kids wake up or before you leave for work).  Another common transition could be before or after lunch—the morning is over, and now you’re transitioning. Still another may be at the end of your work day before you return home.

Whatever you choose, seek to make it consistent each day.

Step 2: Select the Elements

The second step is to select the element(s) for each of your offices. An “element” is the what of what you’re going to do at each of your set times. Here you should feel a lot of freedom to be who God made you to be. We all connect with God in different ways. While Bible reading and prayer should serve as a foundation for all of this (and certainly find a home during one of your offices), there are also a lot of different ways we connect with God.

You might connect well with God through music or or perhaps you experience His presence the most when you are outside in His creation. For others it might be meditating on His Word, journaling, reading the Psalms, memorizing Scripture, sitting in solitude, studying theology, or taking in an audio devotion like the Daily Liturgy Podcast.

Step 3: Do It!

The third step is simply to do it!  With the times of your daily offices set (Step 1) and the elements of each office set (Step 2), all that is left is to pause throughout the day, at the times of your daily offices, and commune with God through the element or elements for that office.

That should include stopping (stop doing anything else you’re doing). It should then include centering (focusing-in on the purpose of this: to remember God and commune with Him throughout the day).  And then doing—actually doing the element you set out to do.

Putting It Together

Putting all of the above together, the below is an example of what a three-office Daily Office might look like. Remember: this can take shape in a lot of different ways and the below is not intended to be prescriptive but rather simply provide one example.  

Morning Office (6am-6:30am):

• Scripture Reading according to a Bible reading plan, and using the SOAP method for journaling.

Noon Office (12-12:05pm):

• Praying a Psalm based on the “Psalms of the Day”.

Evening Office (4:20-4:30pm):

• Sitting in quiet solitude and reflecting on the day. 

  • Revisiting either the morning office and what you journaled OR the Psalm you prayed at noon.

  • Praying the prayer of examen.

The Bigger Picture

The whole purpose of the “Daily Offices” is to build rhythms into your life of communing with God. Each office is where you stop, center, and commune with God. However, the bigger picture goal is that over time, through continual practice of the rhythms, this would become more and more natural to you and that you’d begin to commune with God not just during your daily offices, but all day—continuously.

Practicing the Prayer of Examen

The Prayer of Examen is an ancient practice. While I’ve read a lot of different things on this method of prayer, the most helpful work I’ve come across is by a Catholic author named Mark E. Thibodeaux—his short book, Reimagining the Ignatian Examen: Fresh Ways to Pray from Your Day. Thibodeaux’s very brief introduction by itself is super practical and worth the price of the book. There is also a mobile app that was built off the book called “Reimagining the Examen”.

Here’s how Thibodeaux describes the method:

“In the Examen, we review our recent past to find God and God’s blessings in daily life. We also look back to find moments in the day when things didn’t go so well—when we were hurt by something that happened to us, or when we sinned or made a mistake. We give praise and thanksgiving for the blessed moments. We ask for forgiveness and healing for the difficult and painful moments. Having reflected on this past day, we then turn to the day yet to come and ask God to show us the potential challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. We try to anticipate which moments might go one way or the other for us: toward God’s plan or away from it. We ask for insight into what graces we might need to live this next day well: patience, wisdom, fortitude, self-knowledge, peace, optimism. We ask God for that grace, and we trust that he wants us to succeed in our day even more than we do.” (pg. x)

I’ve found the reflective aspect of what Thibodeaux describes to be the most helpful and use it often while laying in bed—just before falling asleep.

The idea is that at day's end, you prayerfully reflect back through your day—hour-by-hour, emotion-by-emotion, interaction-by-interaction—processing your day, through prayer, with God.

If you found yourself angry at one point of the day (for example), prayerfully ask yourself why. Is there something that has become too important to me that I need to confess and repent? Is there something I have to have—something endangering my contentment? Am I feeling threatened and need to prayerfully remind myself of Christ my Rock, Fortress, Refuge?

At what point or points in your day did you have a special awareness of God’s presence? Praise Him for that. Where did you see Him at work? What are some evidences of His grace or small moments of joy to give thanks for?

If you found yourself to be anxious, or especially content, examen that. 

Prayerfully reflect back over conversations or interactions—what is God telling you about those interactions? How does He want you to remain lovingly engaged with people you’ve interacted with? How might you pray for them? 

Were there any moments of particular pride you need to confess? Any moments of specific sin? Any one you need to pursue reconciliation with tomorrow?

You get the idea. It’s simple: prayerfully examen your life through the prayer of examen.

Worship Service | May 3, 2020

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 65:1–4

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

ADORATION

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM PSALM 78

LEADER: Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

TOGETHER: We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

CONFESSION

CALL AND RESPONSE BASED ON 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4–8A

LEADER: Loving God, Your Word tells us that love is patient and kind. For our impatience, quick-temperedness, and indifference towards others:

TOGETHER: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Your Word tells us that love does not envy or boast. For our proneness to envious desires and boastful arrogance:

TOGETHER: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Love is not arrogant or rude. For our lack of humility and for our unseemly behavior toward one another:

TOGETHER Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Love does not insist on its own way; For our self-seeking:

TOGETHER Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Love is not irritable or resentful. For our anger and our secret lists of personal grievances:

TOGETHER: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices at the truth; For our delighting in the wrong things and our indifference to the truth.

TOGETHER: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Loving God, forgive for our failure to love one another well and guide us as we pursue love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never ends.

TOGETHER: Amen.

ASSURANCE

READING

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. May the God of mercy, who forgives us all our sin, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life.

Amen.

THANKSGIVING

CORPORATE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

From the Didache, Chapter 10 (late 1st or early 2nd century)

We give you thanks, Holy Father, for your holy name, which you have caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality that you have made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever.

You, almighty Master, created all things for your name's sake, and gave food and drink to humans to enjoy, so that they might give you thanks; but to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your servant.

Above all we give thanks to you because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever.

Remember your church, Lord, to deliver is from all evil and to make it perfect in your love; and from the four winds gather the church that has been sanctified into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the power and the glory forever.

May grace come, and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha! Amen.

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 7:1–13

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

PASTORAL PRAYER

“THE GOSPEL VS. PRETENDING” | MARK 7:1–13

COMMISSIONING

PASTORAL BLESSING FROM ROMANS 5:6 AND GALATIANS 5:1

ROMANS 5:6

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

GALATIANS 5:1

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

---

SONGS OF RESPONSE

Listen with Apple Music

Listen with Amazon Music

Learning to Lament

First it was the coronavirus. Wrecking our economy, killing the vulnerable, driving us out of fellowship with one another an into our homes. Then came the restlessness, the yearning to “get back to normal,” which began stirring up debates among friends that spilled over into protests and yelling matches online. Then came the news of a black man, gunned down while on a run by two vigilantes for a crime he didn’t commit. Then came the news of another black man, senselessly killed under the knee of a man who had sworn to serve and protect, which felt to many of us like deja vu.

I, as well as many of you, I’m sure, have heard a lot about what we as Christians ought to “keep in mind” over the last few months. We ought to remember that the Lord is sovereign, and that neither the coronavirus nor the murder of the innocent falls outside of the bounds of His will. We ought to remember that the Lord has many potential purposes for the coronavirus and for these recent events. In light of that, we ought to remember that whatever those purposes, that they are good because He is good, and that “all things work together for good,” for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). We ought to remember that vengeance is the Lord’s. We ought to remember that the Lord grieves the loss of innocent life. We ought to remember that regardless of the trials that come upon us during this season, whether it be sickness, unemployment, depression, loneliness, oppression, or anything else, that the Lord sees the pain of the sufferers, and hears the cries of the mourning, and He will provide for us in our time of need.

We really ought to remember these things, to treasure them in our heart and meditate upon them. But what about those of us who do not solely need to find comfort and encouragement? What about those of us who behold the carnage and the destruction being wrought upon the world by this microscopic murderer and feel something more than fear? What about those of us who watch yet another unarmed, black man be senselessly killed and want to do nothing but scream? What about those of us who, in our most honest moments, respond in our hearts to this season with anger? Not just any anger, but anger fueled by sorrow.

What does the coronavirus and racism reveal about the world? That it is broken. That things are not the way that they ought to be. These things are a product of the “breaking of the world” (to borrow a phrase from Robert Jordan) which we read about in Genesis 3. Just like death, violence, corruption, and famine. And “sorrowful anger” is a perfectly reasonable response to that.

I have felt this anger. It’s born in sorrow, produced in a context where we behold injustice and brokenness and find ourselves overwhelmed by our own powerlessness against it. 

It cannot be anger at God Himself, lest we accuse him of injustice on His part. Rather, it is an anger at sin. At the ways that it has sunk it’s teeth into this world that God created and corrupted it.

How dare it. How dare it take that which was supposed to be good, and turn it into a twisted version of what it was intended to be. How dare it drive us into our homes, apart from friends and family. How dare it stir up hate and prejudice in the hearts of men. How dare it kill our family and friends. How dare it run our medical providers ragged.

So what do we do with righteous anger in this season? We lament.

Lament is a uniquely Christian response to injustice and brokenness. I say it is uniquely Christian because it is saturated in a true and lasting hope. It is the expression of a groaning that, if expressed in the context of this hope, should cause us to drop to our knees, look upward, spread our hands, and cry out for God to work to correct all that is wrong. Outside of the context of hope, it produces cynicism and bitterness, causing us not to lament, but to lash out irrationally and cast stones of blame towards anyone we think may be responsible, including God.

What is our hope? That God Himself is as moved to anger and sorrow by the brokenness of the world as we are. More so, even. Not only that, but that He has actually taken action to correct it by coming into the world Himself, being subjected to this brokenness and injustice, and giving up His own life in order to break the power of sin and usher in His Kingdom.

God was even so gracious as to give us language of lament in His word. The Psalms are full of prayers of lament (13, 74, 102, 130 are a few examples). Jesus expresses lament on the cross (Mark 15:34). The Lord even gave us an entire book of lament (The Book of Lamentations)!

The gracious thing about lament, is that it is a place where God meets us where we’re at. We don’t need to posture ourselves or pretend to be okay. We can be honest with Him, and He is faithful to draw near to us and whisper “I understand.” He does not turn away our lament, nor is he disappointed and condemn us for unbelief. He invites us to draw near and be vulnerable in the safest place we can be.

For those of us like me, who feel that sorrowful anger during this season, may we not be as those who do not have any hope. Yes, we ought to remember the glorious truths found in Scripture, but may we also learn to lament. To go before the Lord in our sorrow and anger and cry out. May we be vulnerable before the Lord, and let the Spirit work in us to remind us who He is. May we not hide. May we find in that lament the strength in knowing that our prayers are heard and that the Lord is working to correct all that is wrong. Including viruses and racism.

Resting in the Green Grass

Over the last several months, (perhaps longer) my prayer life has been a struggle for me. I haven’t had any problems sitting down to read God’s word, or even to meditate on it. But for some reason, when it comes to responding to God’s revelation or to the beauty and majesty revealed in my meditation, I stall. Perhaps that says more about my motivation in coming to the Word of God. Am I approaching this gift for the purpose of expanding my knowledge about God, and to check another passage off of my list, or am I approaching it for the purpose of beholding God and coming to know Him.

So last week, as I sat down to do my morning devotional at the beginning of the day, I felt a tug at my heart to do something that I hadn’t done in months. I felt the Lord inviting me to pray through a Psalm. It wasn’t a part of my plan, or a part of my normal routine, but I knew before opening my Bible that it was something that my soul needed. So I did, without any sense of which Psalm I would pray through, and start “scrolling,” if you will, until I landed on Psalm 23. Not surprisingly, it was exactly what I needed to hear that morning.

As many of you already know, Psalm 23 came up in Pastor Todd’s sermon a couple of weeks ago. It seems as if the truths in this short passage are something that I, and I think all of us, ought to pay attention to during this present season.

Like many of us, I have found that if there is one thing that this pandemic has forced me to do, it is to be still. Almost frustratingly still. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do, nobody to see. It may not be a sustainable way of life, but perhaps it’s a grace that we have been given for a time. We live in a culture that values “busyness,” and it’s a value that has bled into the church and infiltrated our own value system. It’s a point that has been made by many before me, so I won’t belabor it now, but it’s a valid point. The truth is that God did not save us so that we could be busy. He saved us so that we could rest. So that we could be still, and know that He is God.

And if we weren’t going to obey His command on our own, maybe, by His grace, He forced us to obey it. He made us lie down in the green grass.

Why? So that our souls could be restored. It’s in the stillness, the quiet of a green pasture by a still, gleaming lake that we enter into a space where God’s grace binds the wounds of our hearts and restores to our weary souls the strength and fullness that has been drained away by our “busyness.” It’s what we need, and perhaps one of His purposes in this whole pandemic is to lovingly ensure that we get the soul-care that we can’t go without.

“Yes,” one may object, “but what about the economy? What about my need for social interaction? What about X, Y, or Z?”

I shall not want.

Let those words wash over you. You shall not want. Why? Because the Lord your Shepherd will provide for your every need. That is not to diminish the significant trials of this present season. Lost jobs, greater struggles with depression, or COVID-19. These are real and terrible trials, but in this midst of these trials, this truth remains; Though you may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, in the shadow of economic collapse and an increasingly fragile state of mental and physical health, the Lord is with you. You shall not want. All you need, He will provide. Perhaps this is a truth that we would not otherwise believe, if not for these present trials.

We don’t need to be busy, we can rest. I can’t speak for the Lord as to what he is doing during this unprecedented time, but perhaps He wishes to teach us this lesson. That no matter how long this lasts, He will provide for you. He will protect you. You are commanded to be still, and let your soul be restored by the grace that is at work when we aren’t. I’d invite you to pray through this Psalm, as I did, and praise God for these glorious truths, repent of your disobedience to sit in the green grass, and ask for the grace to do so and to believe what He has promised you. My hope for me, and for you, is that when this is all over, we would be more obedient to this command.

Why Did Jesus Go Up On The Mountain To Pray?

It’s impossible in a single sermon to say everything that there is to be said about a particular text.

That means, for each sermon you hear, there is a heap of observations, insights, connections, and applications that didn’t make the cut. One important (and difficult!) job of the preacher is to make decisions about what to bring into the pulpit on Sunday and what to leave out.

Last Sunday’s sermon was no exception. One verse that I touched on only briefly is Mark 6:46—

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:45–46)

Time didn’t allow me to say everything I wanted to say about this verse and Jesus retreating to the mountain to pray, so I thought I would take a little time here and make a few additional comments.

Jesus Praying in Mark

We only see Jesus praying three times in the entirety of Mark’s gospel (Mark 1:35; 6:46; 14:32–39).

Each of these instances represent a significant moment in His ministry—a crisis or significant decision, as commentator James R. Edwards explains:

Each prayer is at night and in a lonely place, each finds the disciples removed from him and failing to understand his mission, and in each Jesus faces a formative decision or crisis. Following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus reaffirms by prayer his calling to express his divine Sonship as a servant rather than as a freedom fighter against Rome. (197)

On Sunday I referenced John 6:15, which makes the crisis Jesus was facing clear, at least in part:

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:15)

As Edwards notes, the crowds wanted a king who would deliver them from Roman rule. Jesus, however, came to be a suffering servant-King who would rescue His people from their sin.

While this is certainly an aspect of the crisis Jesus was facing, I don’t think it tells us the entire story about why Jesus went up on the mountain to pray in Mark 6.

The Disciples’ Hard Hearts

The most significant opposition that Jesus faced on the heels of the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6:30–44) wasn't the crowds, but rather His own disciples. Verses 51–52 tell us:

51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand about the loaves. They witnessed the miraculous feeding first-hand. They distributed the bread to the people. They ate and were satisfied. They took up twelve baskets full of leftovers. And still, their hearts were hardened.

This puts the disciples in the company of the Pharisees whose hardness of heart, in chapter three, grieved Jesus (Mark 3:5). If the hardness of heart of the Pharisees grieved Jesus, how he must have been grieved by the hardness of heart of His own disciples!

A Time to Speak and a Time to Pray

Jesus’s response to His disciples’ hard-heartedness, unbelief, and lack of understanding is instructive for us. What did Jesus do in the face of this opposition? He went up on the mountain to pray.

So often, our own response to this kind of opposition is to speak more and do more. “If I share more information, present another argument, recommend another book, or repeat the important details that they might have missed,” we tell ourselves, “then maybe they’ll understand and respond to Jesus in faith.”

While faith does come from hearing (Romans 10:17), hard hearts aren’t overcome with mere words. Heart-change is work that God alone can do, by the power of His Spirit. In fact, one of the promises of the New Covenant is a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19), given by God Himself.

So, then, whether we’re talking about a sister in Christ who is hardening her heart by walking in sin or a friend who, out of hardness of heart, rejects the gospel completely, there comes a time when the best thing for us to do is, not to speak, but to retreat to a quiet place and pray to the Lord on their behalf, asking Him to soften their hard hearts.

SOAP: Learning to Read the Bible and Journal

SOAP is a simple tool used to read the Bible and journal along as you do so. I learned the SOAP methodology, as a construct, by reading Wayne Cordeiro’s super helpful book titled, The Divine Mentor: Growing Your Faith as You Sit at the Feet of the Savior. If you want to learn more about this method, that’s the book to read. I also preached a sermon several years ago where I fleshed this method out a little more fully too. You can find that HERE.

INTRODUCTION

 “SOAP” is an acronym that stands for “Scripture”, “Observation”, “Application”, and “Prayer”. The big idea is that as you read through Scripture (perhaps using a Bible reading plan of some sort), you stay your mind on a particular verse or short passage and apply this method.

The method includes journaling by way of you writing out the Scripture, writing out your observations, a few thoughts on application and a brief prayer—all based on and guided from the passage you’re staying your mind on.  

It’s important to note that there are no right answers as you do this! This is purely for you. In fact, if you really get into the journaling thing, you might consider creating an index in the front of your journal listing out all the passages you’ve stayed your mind on thereby creating a log, if you will, of your thoughts, reflections, and prayers on various parts of God’s Word.

HOW TO DO IT

As you read your Bible (be it one chapter a day, or a Psalm a day, or using some other plan), choose a passage to stay your mind on. This should be a passage that particularly stands out to you.

//Scripture

In your notebook or in a document on your device, copy out that passage complete with the reference. This might seem like an unimportant step, but by copying out the passage you are fixing your mind on the Word of God and centering yourself on this passage in particular.

//Observation

The next step is to write out observations from the passage. Here, you’re asking yourself questions like:

• What does this teach me about God and his character?

• What does it teach me about human nature, character, and behavior?

• What does it teach me about Christ and salvation?

• What does it teach me about the church, or the life of the people of God?

You may also write out your own questions that you have of the text—questions that you don’t have the answers to, but want to capture. Perhaps you can use these questions to ask a friend or your Gospel Community leader or a pastor.

You may also take note here (and write out):

• Personal examples to emulate or avoid

• Commands to obey

• Promises to trust in

• Warnings to heed

When you’re writing out “observations” you’re thinking objectively, “what is here”?  This doesn’t have to be a lot—you might write out just a few bullet points.

//Application

The next section to journal out is “application”. Here you transition from “What does it say” (things you’ve captured in “observation”) to, “What is God saying to me?” This is where it gets more personal.

Under this heading, you might think in terms of:

• What is in here that leads me to adore God?

• What is in here that leads me to confession?

• What is in here that leads me to thanksgiving?

• What is in here that leads me to supplication?

• What is God communicating to me through this text?

• Why is God showing me this today?

It’s important to remember that this is for you and not for anyone else. Get honest before the Lord and be specific.  

//Prayer

The last section to journal is a prayer. This is where you turn all of the above into a conversation with God and write out a brief prayer based on the Scripture, your observations, and your application.

SUMMARY

The entirety of this might take you 5-15 minutes and perhaps one page in your journal. It doesn’t have to be long and again, this is for YOU. This isn’t the only way to read your Bible and journal, but it is A way. You might find some things here helpful, and you might forge your own way after trying this out a few times.

You may also find some days where observation, application, and prayer all run together and you end up simply writing out the passage and heading straight into writing out a prayer. That’s fine too.  Remember: there’s no right/wrong way.

Worship Service | April 26, 2020

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE READING

PSALM 18:1–6

I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

ADORATION

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM ROMANS 11:33-36

LEADER: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

TOGETHER: For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?

LEADER: For from him and through him and to him are all things.

TOGETHER: To him be glory forever. Amen.

CONFESSION

TIME OF PRIVATE PRAYER

ASSURANCE

SCRIPTURE READING

ISAIAH 43:1–5

But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.

THANKSGIVING

CALL AND RESPONSE FROM "GIVE THANKS TO GOD"

LEADER: He sent His son to die And rise again to save us

TOGETHER: His never ending love is steadfast and sure

LEADER: He's broken our chains And given us freedom

TOGETHER: Give thanks to God For He is good

LEADER: In Him we are alive And have joy everlasting

TOGETHER: His never ending love is steadfast and sure

LEADER: He casts out all fear And fills us with courage

TOGETHER: Give thanks to God For He is good

LEADER: When storms come and rage His peace overwhelms us

TOGETHER: His never ending love is steadfast and sure

LEADER: The Lord is our refuge when trouble surrounds us

TOGETHER: Give thanks to God For He is good

WORSHIP IN GIVING

Do you need help or assistance? If so, please let us know.

Instructions for how to give online, by mail, or by your bank's bill pay can be found at: 2pillarschurch.com/give.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING

MARK 6:45–56

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

PASTORAL PRAYER

“NEAR TO THE NEEDY” | MARK 6:45–56

COMMISSIONING

BENEDICTION

2 CORINTHIANS 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

---

SONGS OF RESPONSE

Listen with Apple Music

Listen with Amazon Music