Worship Notes for Sunday, August 28, 2011
Peter has already written multiple times in I Peter of the graciousness of enduing unjust suffering, suffering for righteousness sake, and the example of Christ’s suffering that we are to emulate. It is no surprise then that Peter returns to this theme of suffering for the sake of Christ and not being ashamed of the Gospel.Our “faithful Creator” is worthy of praise and glory and is “exalted above the heavens” as the Call to Worship from Psalm 57 says. His glory will indeed “be over all the earth.” We continue by singing The Lord is King—“lift up thy voice, O earth, and all ye heaven’s rejoice.” Because He is King, we shall not dare “resist His will or distrust His care.”
The New Testament Reading from James 1 sets before us the reality of trials and temptations that test our faith and produce the pruning effect of steadfastness. We continue in this path as we use Luke 9 as the basis of the Confession of Sin. Christ calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him, but too often we try to hang on to our life and are ashamed of Christ and His words. Paul reminds us in the Assurance of Pardon from Romans 1 and 3, that though all have sinned, God’s gift of grace is revealed in faith through the gift of salvation for which we are not ashamed. As we respond in singing Isaiah 43, we tell of God’s providential care over His people through the floods and fiery trials of life.
As we sing If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee, mark the words of hope—He gives strength through evil days, He is an unmovable rock, His Word is true, and God never forsakes the soul in need. Approach My Soul, the Mercy Seat tells of God’s call towards burdened sinners and the promised grace that He gives.
Our final hymn, Jesus Shepherd of Thy People, is a prayer for Christ to shepherd and lead His people through the storms of life with the power of His mighty hand. We shall rest from danger and know the reality of no condemnation in Christ. Our Benediction and Sung Response is a call for God to finish in us His new creation that we may be steadfast in standing firm, unashamed of the Gospel and the testimony of our Lord (II Timothy 1:8-9).
