Worship Notes for Sunday, July 21, 2013
Finishing up Luke 11 and beginning Luke 12, we encounter Jesus confronting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and thus we learn the nature and heart of true faith and religion. The service begins with the Call to Worship from Psalm 24 in which we speak of the “clean hands and pure heart” of the one who stands in the holy place. We continue by singing Praise to the Lord in honor of the Almighty who is deserving of all praise. With The Earth With All That Dwells, we return to Psalm 24 and the glory of King Jesus who claims his rightful throne.The Old Testament Reading from Isaiah 1 focuses on the outward practice of religion that can too often hide the true intention of the heart. This “fleshly obedience” instead of the heart is the center of our Prayer of Confession also from Isaiah 1.
With Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer, we prayer for the faith to walk through the tempest of this life guided Christ. The Hymns of Communion, Come, Ye Sinners and My God, My Portion, and My Love, convey the “true belief and true repentance” of one fixed on following Christ and the “everlasting all” of the God who deserves all our joys.
We conclude with Awake My Zeal, Awake My Love as a reminder of the compassionate selflessness that a heart that knows true grace and mercy has for those around them.
