Written by: Pastor Vernon Rainwater in More Than You Wanted to Know About Worship Design on January 12, 2012

Context

This year will be focused on the way we respond to God (for the benefit of others). There are 3 archetypal ways we do that:
Heavenly – seeking the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in heaven
Earthly – responding to the circumstances of the moment
Hellish – responding in a selfish way or a way that only benefits me.

The gospel of John sets the tone of the story (of Gospel) involving multiple levels of things happening in the story – and why they are happening.
In seeking how our goals can be oriented in one of those directions (listed above: heavenly, earthly, hellish) – we continue to look at what motivates us, what are we becoming. This text begins with a basic question Jesus asks: “what do you seek”? 

Attribute

God overcame the circumstances of his own deity to bring heaven to earth – therefore the “word became flesh and dwelt among us”. God’s goal for his life (in Jesus) was to bring the gospel to us. In his coming he was seeking us. In our worship we exalt and affirm the power in Jesus.

The Word in Song

“We Crown You” was written by Steve Fee and Eddie Kirkland

All hail the power of Jesus’ name
The wonders of His grace, our Savior
All bow before the King of Love
our treasure and our God, Redeemer

There is none more holy, great, and mighty
No one like our God

Kings of kings and God of grace
Our Redeemer strong to save
High and holy lifted up there is none more worthy
Lord we crown You Lord of all

All sing a melody of praise
Our grateful hearts we raise to You, our treasure
All rise and shout victory cry
‘cause Jesus is alive and we have been forgiven

There is none more holy, great, and mighty
No one like our God

And for the life that You’ve restored
And for the hope that’s been reborn
Every prodigal called home
Grace and mercy you have shown

For the blood that washed me pure
For my sin and shame no more
Son of God our greatest prize
(We crown You. We crown You)
King of Glory, Jesus Christ
We crown You Lord of all

All Hail the Power of Jesus Name
Words and Music by Edward Perronet and Oliver Holden/Arrangement and additional. chorus by Chris Tomlin

All hail the power of Jesus’ Name,
let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
and crown Him Lord of all
Bring forth the royal diadem
and crown Him Lord of all

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,
Ye ransomed from the fall
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace
and crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace
and crown Him Lord of all

Raise up the crown, rise on the praises
Rest on the brow of the King of the ages

O that with yonder sacred throng,
we at His feet may fall
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown Him Lord of all
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown Him Lord of all

Everlasting God
Words and Music by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley
 

Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. 29 He gives strength to the weary, And to [him who] lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up [with] wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
Wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
Wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever
Our Hope, our strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

You are the everlasting God (Strength will rise…)
The everlasting God (As we wait upon the Lord)
The everlasting God (Wait upon the Lord)
The everlasting

The Word Preached

Matthew 6:10
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

John 1:35-38
Again the next day John was standing [a]with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

James 1:22
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Joshua 24:15
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 22:37, 39
And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

II Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

The Word in Sacrament

It is significant to know our purpose for our life, but what was Jesus purpose for his own life (on earth)? One might conclude that he described it within this poignant scene in scripture:

Luke 4:16   And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 “ THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
            BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
            HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
            AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
            TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” 20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

I have always been struck with the communicable attribute I can apply from Jesus’ life on earth is to be fully present in every situation I am in. I think he was. How do we do that?
Simone Weil asserts that God has created us so that the present is all we have. "The effective part of [our] will," Weil writes, "is not effort, which is directed toward the future. It is consent; it is the `yes' of marriage. A `yes' pronounced within the present moment and for the present moment, but spoken as an eternal word, for it is consent to the union of Christ with the eternal part of our soul."
In seeking any covenantal relationship we must be willing to say "yes" long before we have a clear idea of what such intimacy will cost us. Marriage is eternal, but it's also daily, as daily and unromantic as housekeeping.” Kathleen Norris

Knowing You
Words and Music by Graham Kendrick

Philippians 3
 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from [the] Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which [comes] from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

All I once held dear,
built my life upon all this world reveres,
and wars to won,
all I once thought gain
I have counted loss;
Spent and worthless now
Compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
Lord of all You’re my rest,
You’re my joy my righteousness
And I love You, Lord.

Now my heart’s desire
Is to know You more,
To be found in You, and known as Yours
To possess by faith
What I could not earn;
All surpassing gift of righteousness.

O to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings,
to become like You in Your death, my Lord;
so with You to live, and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
Lord of all You’re my rest,
You’re my joy my righteousness

Lord of all You’re my rest,
And I love You, Lord.

Sung by Katie Wilcoxson and played by Pete Geiger 

Rock of Ages
Words by Augustus Toplady/ Music by Toplady and Thomas Hastings

Romans 8:1
  Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God [did]: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and [as an offering] for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill the law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Vocal solo by Rob Alexander/Mandolin by Scotty Alderman
 

The Word as Blessing (Benediction)

Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
          And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
         And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
         Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
         And refreshment to your bones.

Reign In Us
Words and Music by Ben Glover, Jon Neufeld and Tim Neufeld

You thought of us before the world began to breathe
And You knew our names before we came to be
You saw the very day we’d fall away from You
and how desperately we need to be redeemed

Lord Jesus
Come lead us
We're desperate for Your touch

Oh Great and Mighty One
with one desire we come
that You would reign that You would reign in us
we're offering up our lives
a living sacrifice
that You would reign, that You would reign in us

Spirit of the living God fall fresh again
Come search our hearts and purify our lives
We need Your perfect love we need Your discipline
We're lost unless You guide us with Your light

We cry out for Your life to refine us; cry out
for Your love to define us; cry out
for Your mercy to keep us
blameless until You return

Oh Great and Mighty One
with one desire we come
that You would reign that You would reign in us
we're offering up our lives
a living sacrifice
that You would reign, that You would reign in us

So reign, please reign in us
come purify our hearts
we need Your touch
come cleanse us like a flood
and send us out
so the world may know You reign, You reign in us

Colossians 1
… 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
 

Musicians this weekend:
Tim Tracey – piano/keys
Pete Geiger – B3 organ
Stephen Thomas – drums/percussion
Rob Alexander – bass
Scotty Alderman – electric guitar/mandolin
Vernon Rainwater – acoustic guitar