We begin the service with Come, O Creator Spirit Blest and a Call to Worship from Psalm 104 for it is God who sends forth His Spirit to create and renew. We continue by singing Come, Thou Almighty King which is a wonderful Trinitarian expression of the being and work of the Father, Word, and Comforter. Come Down, O Love Divine is a prayer for the Spirit to seek our hearts and to burn with a cleansing and illumining flame.

The New Testament Reading from Acts 2 comes from the sermon that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost in which he describes the kingdom of God expressed in the New Covenant. The Prayer of Confession from Ephesians 4 reminds us of our propensity to try and subvert the unity of the Spirit through building our own kingdoms.

Our Profession from God’s Word comes from Ephesians 1 in which Paul describes the “hope to which He has called us” in the “glorious inheritance” of the Kingdom. The first Hymn of Communion, O God, the Holy Spirit, is a beautiful exploration of the specific work that the Spirit does—from creation, pointing us to Jesus, encouraging our walk of sanctification, and imparting the work of Christ in our hearts and lives. Our final hymn is Mighty Lord, Extend Your Kingdom as a prayer for the light of the Gospel to spread throughout the entirety of the darkness through the power of the Spirit.

Cornerstone Bulletin 05.19.13

We begin with singing Verse 7 from Crown Him with Many Crowns who is enthroned in worlds above. The Call to Worship from Psalm 115 for to His name alone belongs glory. We continue by singing All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name and our hymn for May, Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness.

The New Testament Reading from Colossians 1 reminds us of the glory of the ascended Christ by whom all things were created and hold together and He is the head of the Church. The Prayer of Confession confronts our hearts desire to supplant the rule of Christ by looking to our own interests and acting as if we were equal with God.

Our next hymn, Psalm 5: Hear My Words, focuses on the practice of prayer and the desire for the Lord to hear us and bring us into worship. The Profession from God’s Word from Psalm 121 reassures us that God, our Father, is our keeper. The Hymns of Communion include Our Father and Sing to Jesus—that talks of the ascension as an example of the exaltation of Christ.

The final hymn, O Christ, Our Hope, sings of the work of Christ in the death and resurrection as well as the ascension.

Cornerstone Bulletin 05.12.13

Our Old Testament Reading comes from Psalm 16 where acknowledge that we have no good apart from the Lord. Because He is with us, we shall not be shaken. Psalm 119 sets before us the importance and beauty of the Word of God, and so we turn there as our Prayer of Confession for we too often wander from His commands and do not store His word in our hearts. We pray that He would give us delight in His law.

We then sing Speak, O Lord as a prayer to be fed by His word that we might learn obedience and renew our minds. Our Profession this week comes from Psalm 19 as we speak together what God has said about His own Word. Communion Hymns include a new hymn for May—Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness—and Give Me Jesus. Our final hymn, Be Thou My Vision, is a prayer that Christ would be the forefront of our thoughts and lives even as He leads us to the joys of heaven.

Cornerstone Bulletin 05.05.13

The New Testament Reading from Luke 6 is the words of Jesus commanding us to love our enemies and to be merciful even as our heavenly Father is merciful. The Prayer of Confession from I Peter 2 reminds us that we are called and chosen, that we have received mercy, and that our conduct should be such that even unbelievers may see our good deeds and glorify the Lord. We continue with the sung prayer Tender Mercy.

Our Communion Hymns are Not What My Hands Have Done and Let Thy Blood in Mercy Poured. He has given Himself for us, and now we give ourselves to Him. In so doing, we will take the good news to all the peoples that they may also praise the Lord (Psalm 67: O God, To Us Show Mercy).

Cornerstone Bulletin 04.28.13

In the New Testament Reading from Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that loving our neighbor is one way we serve one another in freedom. The Prayer of Confession from I Peter 4 reflects our failure to do that by not loving others as He has loved us. We prayerfully respond by singing Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken for He has called us to leave everything and follow Him—He owns our love even as He calls us to serve those around us.

Our Communion Hymns—O Lord, How Joyful Tis to See and I Will Go both speak of our loves for others in dwelling together in unity as well as being a servant called to let go of anything that captures our attention other than the glory of Christ. Our final hymn, Awake My Zeal, Awake My Love, calls us to respond to the love of God by serving Him in the ways that we care for our neighbors and those in need. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.—I John 3:16

Cornerstone Bulletin 04.21.13

In the New Testament Reading from Romans 1, Paul reminds us that loving our neighbor is the fulfilling of the law and is that which we owe one another. The Prayer of Confession from I John 4 & 3 reflects our failure to do that—even at times while confessing that the Father’s love abides in us. We respond in thankfulness for His grace by singing I Will Glory in My Redeemer for He has ransomed us, bought our lives, and He owns our love even as He calls us to serve those around us.

We are confronted with the nature of love and God’s love for us in our Communion Hymns—My God, My Portion, and My Love and What Wondrous Love is This. Our final hymn, Awake My Zeal, Awake My Love, calls us to respond to the love of God by serving Him in the ways that we care for our neighbors and those in need. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.—I John 3:16

Cornerstone Bulletin 04.14.13

We start the service with the bold assertion that “I Know that My Redeemer Lives.” Christ the Lord is Risen Today and Christ Is Risen! Hallelujah! continue the statement of our hope and confidence in the risen Lord. The Corporate Prayer of Confession focuses on themes of the resurrection. In Christ Alone we are confronted with the sufficiency of the work of Christ and the power of living in the light of the resurrection.

Our Scripture passage from John 11 proclaims the glorious fact that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. The Communion Hymns, There is No Greater Portrait and I Will Glory in My Redeemer, both draw our attention to the cross and the work of salvation that Christ accomplished there.

Our final hymn, Christ the Lord Is Risen Again, is an energetic 12^th century German Carol rejoicing in the ransom and restoration found in the cross and the “breaking of every chain” in Christ’s resurrection. The Benediction Response, He is Risen!, is a recent hymn text that looks forward to the spreading of the Gospel message to all nations.

Cornerstone Bulletin 03.31.13

We begin the service with the children’s choirs leading us in the Prelude and the Introit. Our opening hymns are All Glory, Laud, and Honor and We Will Glorify. Following confession, we will sing Rock of Ages—humbly acknowledging our complete dependence on the blood of Christ and nothing that we can do.

Our first Communion Hymn is Because You Are Chosen with the words from Colossians, “You must clothe yourself with kindness, with heartfelt mercy, in the meekness of humility.” We close with the great triumphal hymn, Lift Up Your Heads from Psalm 24.

Cornerstone Bulletin 03.24.13

This theme of praise and wonder extends through the next hymn, Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder but with the emphasis shifted from the wonder of creation to the astonishment at the grace and mercy extended to us through the cross and the cleansing blood of Christ. This actually echoes the shift that Christ makes in Luke 9 from issues of faith and astonishment to speaking of the necessity of His death.

After Confession, we will sing Faith is a Living Power to pray through the assurance that God gives of the living aspects of faith in the work of Christ and the life-giving work of the Spirit. Our Communion Hymns echoes the themes of Lent and repentance in Lord Jesus, Think on Me and of faith in My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.

We conclude the service with one of our favorite Easter carols, Christ the Lord is Risen Again, and Christ Be With Me from the Breastplate of Saint Patrick.

Cornerstone Bulletin 03.17.13

The Nicene Creed is followed by the hymn O Shine Upon Us Lord which is a lyric about the transfiguration and the prayer that the Lord would shine upon us, displaying himself such that our hearts would burn within us with the wonders of grace.

Our second Communion Hymn is again Rise Up In Early Morning—our practice for Easter of a wonderful hymn of the resurrection. Our final hymn, Psalm 138: I Will Give You Thanks and Praise You, is a song of praise for He has displayed His Word through His glory.

Cornerstone Bulletin 03.10.13

Please RSVP by Sunday, March 3

office@cstonepres.org

The Emperor Constantine convened the council for the leading purpose of settling a doctrinal controversy regarding the nature of the person of Jesus Christ in relationship to God the Father. One leading presbyter of the day, Arius of Alexandria, taught that Jesus Christ was subordinate to God the Father since he was begotten of the Father. In Arius’ mind, the Son of God was a created being and therefore not divine in the same way that the Father was divine. On the contrary, another leading presbyter from Alexandria named, Athanasius, believed that Jesus Christ was co-eternal with the Father and divine in exactly the same way the Father is divine. In the end, the Ecumenical Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of the teaching of Athanasius and deemed Arius a heretic.

If you look at the Nicene Creed, you’ll find very detailed language regarding the person of Christ and His relationship to the Father. For instance, the language of “very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father” was penned to make absolutely clear what we mean when we say Jesus is both fully God and fully man. As we profess our faith today, we have confidence that our Savior is divine like God and human like man, which makes him a perfect mediator between God and man.

Cornerstone Bulletin 02.24.13

The Introit is Behold the Glories of the Lamb as a sung preparation over these next weeks for us to consider the glories of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. The Call to Worship from Psalm 146 highlights the theme of God’s care for His people—in justice, provision, freedom and salvation. We continue by singing the words of this Psalm, Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah.

For Lent we will be using the Nicene Creed as our Profession of Faith. The Nicene Creed was written in A.D. 325 by the Council of Nicaea to clarify and to boldly declare the nature of Christ against the heresies of the day.

One of the more significant shifts in the service for this season is moving the Prayer of Confession to after the sermon. You will also notice that the form of the prayer emphasizes the call of the Gospel from the sermon and allows us to use various Scripture passages to pray and weave those truths in our hearts through the means of confession and petition. The following hymn, Awake My Zeal, Awake My Love, is a continued prayer that God would enliven us in our faith in the consistency of the Gospel to serve, feed, clothe, and share the Gospel.

The Hymns of Communion, Holy Father, Hear My Cry and Deck Yourself, My Soul, continue to reinforce our desire and need for the true Bread of Heaven. We conclude with the Psalm for February—Psalm 117: From All That Dwell which is our heart’s cry that every land and every tongue would sing the praise of the Redeemer.

Cornerstone Bulletin 02.17.13

We begin with the Call to Worship from Isaiah 12 with the call to make known the deeds of the Lord among the peoples that He may be known in all the earth. We sing Crown Him With Many Crowns acknowledging that the earth and all that is in it belong to Him alone. Our Psalm for February—Psalm 117: From All That Dwell continues the theme of singing the praise of our Redeemer through every land and by every tongue.

The Old Testament Reading from Isaiah 55 reminds us that the Word of God is like seed for us to sow and bread for those that receive it, and joy and peace will result wherever the Word is spread. However, in Ephesians 4, our Prayer of Confession, we remember that too often we seek to build up our own kingdoms instead of living in submission to Christ’s kingdom seeking reconciliation in one hope. We continue by singing Let Children Hear the Mighty Deeds from Psalm 78 in which we acknowledge our call to “make His glories known, His works of power and grace” that generations yet unknown may hope in God alone and practice His commands.

Our final hymn, Be Thou O God Exalted High from Psalm 57, calls us to share the praise of the Lord “to all the listening nations round” that His glory would fill the skies as we bring thankful tribute unto Him. It is out of gratitude for who God is and what He has done that we respond in worship and then share His praise with others.

Cornerstone Bulletin 02.10.13

The Psalm for February is from Psalm 117: From All That Dwell. It’s a summons to spread the name of the Lord from shore to shore and “fill the world with loudest praise.” Our New Testament Reading is from John 10—Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the necessity for us to hear and follow His voice. The Prayer of Confession from Psalm 40 reminds us of the times that we do not trust God or delight in doing His will—times that we hide from following Him.

The following hymn, Jesus, I Am Resting, is a prayer to find our joy, wholeness, and peace in Christ only. The second Communion Hymn, Shepherd of Souls, recognizes our utter dependence on the living bread and heavenly wine that call us into a life of obedience.

The final hymn, Jesus, Shepherd, is a prayer for the sustaining grace of Jesus to lead us even as we confess that we are “weak, and poor, and feeble” we recognize that we can trust His mighty hand.

Cornerstone Bulletin 02.03.13

We continue by singing Jesus Shall Reign from Psalm 72 and of His kingdom that stretches from shore to shore. Our final week with the Psalm for January—Psalm 73: O God, How Good Thou Art brings into focus the strength He supplies for the fulfilling of the call of the Gospel. In the Prayer of Confession from Romans 12, we acknowledge our tendency to allow our love to be directed to self-interests and to disregard those around us.

We sing and prayer for God’s mercy in Psalm 67: O God to Us Show Mercy that His holy way would be known on earth and His grace to every people.  The first Hymn of Communion, My God, My Portion, confronts us with the overwhelming character of God as infinitely superior to all and everything we might ever hope for. We continue by singing Psalm 9: O Lord, Most High that we might ever proclaim His wondrous works and His deeds among the nations.

We conclude by singing Mighty Lord, Extend Your Kingdom and the prayer that the “shades of night” would be scattered before the light of the Gospel.

Cornerstone Bulletin 01.27.13

The New Testament Reading from II Timothy 3 speaks of the role of the disciple in following Paul’s example and continuing in the Gospel that was learned and firmly believed. One manifestation of the Gospel in our lives is the outward expression of living for others. In the Prayer of Confession from I Peter 4, we are confronted with the necessity in Christ of not living to satisfy our own passions but to live in the Spirit so that we may earnestly love one another, care for their needs, and use our gifts to serve one another to bring glory to God.

During Communion, we will sing Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken, “All to leave and follow Thee…Thou from hence my all shalt be.” Actually, just pay attention to all the words of this particular hymn! And we’ll conclude with When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.

We close by singing May the Mind Of Christ, My Savior with the prayer that the Word of God would dwell richly and the peace of God rule in our life as we are filled with the love of Jesus to spread the Good News of the Gospel in word and deed.

Cornerstone Bulletin 01.20.13

In the Word; In the Church; In Each Other’s Lives

Thursday, January 24 at 6:30pm

All men are invited for a time of fellowship and dinner as we discuss where we’d like to see God take us as a church family. We will also talk through the Bible reading plans. Come meet new guys, re-establish relationships, and seek to go deeper together in the Word this year.
Please RSVP so that we can have enough food.

The Call to Worship from Psalm 27 reflects the theme of the Lord as our light and salvation and that we desire for Him to lead us and teach us in His paths. We continue by singing Glory Be to God the Father as we sing praise to the Father, Son and Spirit. In Come Ye that Love the Savior’s Name, we pray that we might proclaim the name of our Savior with great joy to all the nations around.

The New Testament Reading from Philippians 1 reminds us that God is working in us and will bring to completion His work, in His time, for His glory.  Our Prayer of Confession comes from I Corinthians 1 and deals with what seems to be the foolishness of the cross but is in reality the foolishness of our worldly wisdom.

Our Hymns of Communion include The King Shall Come, an Epiphany text longing for the day of the reappearance of Christ, and the Psalm for January, O God, How Good Thou Art, that presents the desire for the clarity and leading of the Gospel to be foremost in our thoughts and lives. We conclude with As With Gladness Men of Old that takes the story of the Magi and applies it to our own hearts that we would be led to Christ, seek His mercy, and bring all our treasures to His feet. May the Lord indeed lead us in such a way in 2013!

Cornerstone Bulletin 01.06.13

The Call to Worship from Psalm 90 reminds us that the Lord is God from generation to generation and He holds our days in His hands. We rejoice as those who are ransomed as we sing All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name and we acknowledge God’s sovereignty and aid throughout our lives as He is the same through endless years by singing O God Our Help in Ages Past.

The Confession of Sin from Romans 6 & 7 speak of the fruit that we bore as slaves to sin versus the fruit of righteousness now that we are released from the law through the death of Christ. We ask for God’s mercy as we sing Tender Mercy as we remember the failings of the past year, our good intentions in the coming year, and the grievous sins of treating God’s gift of life in a cheap manner.

We pray for God’s presence in Christ Be With Me as well as in the Communion Hymn Come My Way, My Truth, My Life. The second Communion Hymn is a prayer of confession as we sing Holy Father, Hear My Cry.

Our final hymn, Be Thou My Vision, closes the service with a prayer for the Lord’s presence and provision in this new year.

Cornerstone Bulletin 12.30.12

The Old Testament Reading is from Isaiah 12 concerning the salvation of the Lord and the praises due to Him who has done gloriously. The Prayer of Confession from John 1 confronts our sinful hearts in failing to know and receive the coming of the Lord.

Our Hymns of Communion include For What Did Christ the Babe Appear and See Amid the Winter’s Snow. We conclude by singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing who ascribe “Glory to the newborn King.”

Cornerstone Bulletin 12.23.12

The Prayer of Confession is from Ephesians 4 for we often strive to build our own kingdoms and not live in submission to Christ’s Kingdom. But thanks be to God, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son.” We continue by singing What Child is This and the prayer to bring our gifts and hearts to the Christ Child.

For Communion we will sing Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming—Christ has dispelled the darkness everywhere and saves us from sin and death. We conclude by singing Joy to the World for the Savior reigns and rules the world with truth and grace.

Cornerstone Bulletin 12.16.12

We begin the service with the Call to Worship from Psalm 98—a messianic Psalm speaking of the revealed righteousness of the Lord to the nations. This Psalm is also quoted by Mary in the Magnificat—her song of joy and praise when Gabriel announced to her the coming of Christ. We continue by singing Angels from the Realms of Glory and their message to the shepherds that “God with us is now residing.” In From Heaven Came the Angels Bright we sing that through His Son, “God with you is now at one. He took on human flesh and bone, And you, His brothers are God’s own.”

The Prayer of Confession is from Philippians 2 and the reminder of the humility of Christ in becoming man and our own lack of affection and sympathy towards others. In the first Communion Hymn, Let All Mortal Flesh, we sing of Christ to earth descended in the body and the blood of humanity. And in Thou Who Wast Rich, we speak of the splendor and richness of God and his poverty in becoming man for the sake of love.

We conclude by singing Once in Royal David’s City and of Christ who “came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all.” The mystery and reality of the Incarnation is beautifully and widely displayed in the hope and peace expressed in these myriads of carols. May this truth soak through us this Advent season.

Cornerstone Bulletin 12.09.12

We begin with words of waiting and hope from Psalm 33 and lead into the Hymn of Expectation—O Come, O Come Emmanuel. There is a beautiful longing in this hymn for prophecy to be fulfilled and for all to be made right. We continue in singing Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus. The Old Testament Reading is from Isaiah 40—Comfort my people; prepare the way of the Lord. The Prayer of Confession reminds us that “our iniquities have made a separation between us and our God” and that even though we “hope for light…we get darkness.” In God’s goodness and in the fullness of time, He sent His Son to reconcile us to God and remove the separation such that we can hope for and receive light.

Our Communion Hymns include a setting of John 1 and the wonderfully rich Of the Father’s Love Begotten. We conclude the Service by singing Hark! A Thrilling Voice is Sounding—our anticipation and hope for the coming Christ.

Cornerstone Bulletin 12.02.12

As such, our observance of the liturgical calendar is to provide a guide to our hearts and minds and to purposefully remind ourselves of the Gospel throughout the year. Advent is the start of the church year and moves from the Garden of Eden, the need for a Savior, the prophecies of the coming Messiah, and the Incarnation on Christmas Day. Since it is primarily a time of preparation, this season is traditionally one of repentance and anticipation. The color purple is used to denote contrition and repentance.

Our service this morning begins looking at Christ in His role as mediator—a necessary bridge between God and man. We being with the Call to Worship from Psalm 9 for he has maintained our cause and our trust is in the Lord.  We continue by singing Give Thanks to God the Lord for we should make known what He has done.

Our New Testament Reading from I Timothy 2 states that the only mediator between God and man is Christ Jesus. Our failure to “grow up into our Head, into Christ” and our misguided attentions form the basis of our Prayer of Confession from Ephesians 4.

In our Communion Hymns, we sing of the sufficiency of the life and death of Christ in There is No Sin and of the mediating work of Christ in My Faith Has Found a Resting Place. Christ as our only foundation and hope is the subject of the final hymn, My Hope is Built on Nothing Else.

Cornerstone Bulletin 11.25.12

However, in addition, we also extend our understanding of the importance of the Word to include all of the service elements that spring forth from the core preaching. For Cornerstone, the centrality of the Word means that all of the service is centered on the Word and that the hymns, prayers, and readings flow from the central truth of the Scripture passage that is being preached. We hold God’s Word with reverence and thus seek to understand and apply it in an ever increasing manner.

Our service this morning focuses on the good gifts that came from the Father’s hand and for which we are thankful. One of those gifts is His decrees shown in the works of creation. So we start by singing Praise to the Lord who is the “King of Creation.” The Call to Worship from Psalm 111 reminds us to give thanks with our whole heart for the works of the Lord are great and are to be studied. We continue by singing For the Beauty of the Earth and Glory Be to God the Father.

The New Testament Reading from Colossians 3 calls us to be thankful, to teach and admonish one another in thankfulness, and in all we do to give thanks. Much like the children of Israel who complained and grumbled in the wilderness despite the wondrous display of God’s power, protection and leading, we too fall into the sinful trap of not honoring and giving thanks to God. Thus we confess our sins with the words of Romans 1.

We conclude the service by singing Come Ye Thankful People Come with the reminder that God’s providence in supplying grain for the earth is echoed in His growing and raising up a people for Himself who will one day be gathered in at the final harvest.

Cornerstone Bulletin 11.18.12

We pray before the Prayer of Confession that God would search us and know us and reveal to us our sins. As a corporate body we recognize that other’s sins reflect upon us all—that is one aspect of why we confess corporately. In addition, corporate confession acknowledges that but for the grace of God we are capable of any and all vileness. The words of assurance from Scripture also remind us of God’s redemptive goodness. It is with a cleansed heart that we are now prepared to truly hear what God is saying to His people.

As we move into Luke 9, Jesus invests power in His disciples and send them forth to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. Our Call to Worship from Psalm 67 longs for the “saving power” of the Lord to be “known on earth” and that “all the ends of the earth” would fear Him. We continue by singing Come, Christians Join to Sing and Come Ye That Love the Savior’s Name.  Our New Testament Reading is from Romans 15 which emphasizes the grace of God in ministering to the unbelieving in word and deed.

Our Prayer of Confession from Romans 12 confronts us with our love of self and safety that inhibits our boldness in loving those around us instead of disregarding them. We conclude the service in singing Mighty Lord, Extend Your Kingdom as a prayer for the expansion of the Gospel into all lands and the desire for the power of the Spirit to manifest itself in the reign of Christ.

This week in Luke 8 we once again see the power of God revealed through Christ as well as the exercise of that power on behalf of those who would have been considered outcasts—the ceremonially unclean. In an act of substitution, Jesus takes on their uncleaness and restores them as clean. The Call to Worship from Psalm 106 recalls the blessing of observing justice and doing righteousness even as God remembers His people and shows them His favor. We continue by singing Praise to the Lord “for He is our health and salvation.” All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name not only reminds us of the power of God in Christ but also the “yonder sacred throng” of those who fought the good fight and eternally sing God’s praises.

The Old Testament Reading from Isaiah 11 is a familiar passage that highlights the Messiah upon whom the Spirit rests in wisdom, understanding, might and the fear of the Lord to judge with righteousness the poor and meek. The Prayer of Confession from Psalm 32 encourages us to fight the urge to stay hidden and to hide our hearts from God and from ourselves.

The Hymns of Communion include Psalm 9: O Lord Most High as the Psalm for November and a sung version of Psalm 32. We conclude by singing For All the Saints and rejoicing in the testimony of the saints to the glory of Christ who has redeemed us from the curse, set us free, and called us to live in holy obedience to the praise of His glory.

Cornerstone Bulletin 11.04.12

Much like King David’s psalms of praise, the text of these hymns proclaims the glorious splendor and majesty of Almighty God and concentrates on praise for His nature, character and attributes. With a generally triumphant and jubilant tone, these hymns function as a joyous processional before the throne of God. The intent is to offer opportunity for full-throated song.

The specific focus is God alone—not what we think of Him, not what we hope He is going to do for us, and not what we’re going to do. Too many songs of praise are songs about praising and not actually praise itself. Being confronted with intense awe at the presence of God tends to readjust and realign an overinflated view of ourselves and replace it with a right understanding of the order of the cosmos. It’s from this position that we rightly enter into the posture of repentance. We’ll continue our discussion with the Corporate Confession of Sin.

This week in Luke 8, we encounter the question of the disciples, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” The correct answer, as we shall see in our readings and hymns, is only God alone.

The Call to Worship from Psalm 148 establishes God’s sovereignty over all creation such that even the “stormy wind” fulfills His word. Our Hymns of Praise are A Mighty Fortress and Praise My Soul—both based on Psalms. The Old Testament Reading from Psalm 104 continues the theme of the Lord’s kingship over creation.

The first Hymn of Communion, God is Our Refuge (Psalm 46), reminds us of God’s strength and aid “though foaming waters roar.” He remains in control even as we sing Approach My Soul and the peace for burdened souls. Our final hymn is All Creatures of Our God and King and the joyous praise that all creation brings as tribute before the throne.

Cornerstone Bulletin 10.28.12

The first is invoking God’s presence at a particular gathering in that we are asking Him to be present, to oversee, to guide or direct. This is the type of thing one does at the beginning of a meeting, sporting event, Bible study, etc.

In a Call to Worship, it is actually God who initiates and summons His people, into His presence, before His throne, on His day. This instigating call leads into praise of God for who He is and not just for what He has done.

The response to this summons and the subsequent praise forms the start of our service to Him in worship—a response that is necessarily predicated on what He Himself has called us to do. The sacrifice of worship is setting aside our own aims, goals, and ideas of worship in favor of what God requires of us. We’ll continue to explore the particulars of what this means in subsequent weeks.

As we continue in Luke 8, we are confronted again with who Jesus is and the nature of faith and the Word. The Old Testament Reading from Psalm 119 speaks of the love of the Word and holding fast to it. Our Prayer of Confession from Hosea 10 confesses our tendency towards self-sufficiency and the need for the Lord to break up the fallow ground of our hearts.

The Communion Hymns, Give Me Jesus and O God, My Portion, and My Love both remind us of the “everlasting all” that is Christ and Him alone. We conclude with Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken as a prayer to fix our eyes on Christ lest we be “choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life” and that we may bear fruit in patience.

Cornerstone Bulletin 10.21.12