Worship Notes for Sunday, October 27, 2013

This Sunday we remember the truth and beauty of the Gospel of grace that was recovered during the Reformation, As such, we will sing a couple of texts that were written by Martin Luther as well as one of his tunes. For our service theme this week, we are exploring Jesus’ teaching on the narrow door and the path of salvation and the glory of people from the four corners of the earth welcomed to the marriage supper of the Lamb.We begin with the Call to Worship from Psalm 118 and the opening of the gates of righteousness. Our opening hymns are Luther’s A Mighty Fortress is Our God and There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy. Grace, mercy and healing are present for those that He calls and gathers at His feet.

The New Testament Reading from Matthew 7 is the parallel passage to our sermon text from Luke 13. “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” In addition, this passage also links the theme to the bearing of fruit that is part of abiding in Christ. The Prayer of Confession from Psalm 73 confronts us with the reality that sometimes we do not find the narrow road as attractive as the success and wealth that the wicked seemingly have. Worship and entering the presence of the Lord helps to realign our thinking and the reality of the Gospel. Our next Psalm of Praise is O God, How Good Thou Art—a sung version of Psalm 73.

We continue with our Psalm for October, Psalm 42: As Pants the Deer as one of our Communion Hymns. Our final hymn, Lead On, O King Eternal, is a prayer for the leading of the Lord on the narrow path with the cross over us that leads to eternal life.

http://www.cornerstonepresfranklin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Cornerstone-Bulletin-10.27.13.pdf