Worship Notes for Sunday, February 5, 2012
As we move from the baptism of John to the baptism of Christ, we see a foretaste of what the ministry of Jesus will entail. It is those themes of judgment, purification, and redemption that we will explore in our singing, reading, and praying today. The Call to Worship from the opening verses of Psalm 50 displays the perfection of beauty of the Mighty Lord who speaks and who judges in righteousness as a devouring fire. Our opening hymn is Crown Him With Many Crowns—our matchless King who lives that death may die and who will be praised throughout eternity.Our new Psalm of the Month: Psalm 104 is by Nathan Clark George and it captures the sense of the providential care of God over all creation. The New Testament Reading from Colossians 2 reminds us to be established in the faith by walking in Christ and being rooted and built up in him. Part of that process includes being “buried with him in baptism” and raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God.
The Prayer of Confession from 2 Peter 1 reiterates the divine power of God who has called us by his glory and excellence. However, we do not make every effort to supplement our faith because we forget that we were cleansed from our former sins. Hebrews 10 reminds us that our hearts have been cleaned and we should hold fast to the confession of our hope. We respond with the hymn The Earth With All That Dwells, which is a versified form of Psalm 24, proclaiming the glorious King who comes to claim his rightful throne and to clean and purify the people.
Our Communion Hymns continue the theme of cleansing and purification through the work of Christ and the application of the Holy Spirit. We conclude with Glory Be to God The Father—“Glory be to Him who loved us, Washed us from each spot and stain.” Glory to the King of kings!
