Scriptures, Songs, and Saints – Liberty
Tamera lead our church in the first of what we are planning to be a once-a-month worship service with a new everybody-gets-to-play format that we are calling “Scriptures, Songs, and Saints.” It was a sweet and meaningful kickoff, and on Pentecost Sunday! Many people participated through reading Scriptures, leading / playing / singing worship songs, and reading stories of and quotes from a few saints. What a beautiful worship service, so memorable and rich with everyone getting to play in exalting the Lord and celebrating our liberty in Christ!
Theme: Liberty – June 8, 2025
The cry of God’s people throughout generations was a longing for the Messiah to come – to save His people, Israel. The Messiah came as a real person to walk on this earth to fulfill these prophecies. Jesus continues to fulfill them today in the lives of those who trust in him.
Charles Wesley expressed the longing well with these words:
Come, thou long expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart.
Song: This is Our God
Acts 16:19-26 – “They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities and said, “These men are disturbing our city, they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to observe.” The crowd joined in attacking them. They were stripped of their clothing, beaten with rods and thrown into prison. The jailer put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.”
Song: Good Grace
Psalm 31:1-5 – “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”
Matthew 7:7-8 – “And Jesus said, ‘Ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock; and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.'”
Song: Seek and Find
19th century pastor and author, Charles Spurgeon, said “The triune God has given us a trinity of deliverances: our life has been spared from the grave, our heart has been uplifted from its griefs, and our course in life has been preserved from dishonour. We ought not to be satisfied unless we are conscious of all three of these deliverances. If our soul has been saved from death, why do we weep? What cause for sorrow remains? Whence those tears? And if our tears have been wiped away, can we endure to fall again into sin? Let us not rest unless with steady feet we pursue the path of the upright, escaping every snare and shunning every stumbling block. Salvation, joy, and holiness must go together, and they are all provided for us in the covenant of grace. Death is vanquished, tears are dried, and fears are banished when the Lord is near.”
Song: Psalm 116
Communion Meditation (Karen)
Song: Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone
From 2 Samuel 12:15-20, we read the story of David pleading to God through fasting and prayer for seven days for God to save his son. When he heard the news that his son had died; he rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself and changed his clothes. He then went into the house of the Lord and worshipped.
Even in the depths of pain, disappointment, heartache – our greatest response is to rise and worship – “Let all things rise and bless your name, all things made right and new again.”
Song: All Things Rise
Mary MacKillop was an Australian religious sister who was made a falsely accused scapegoat during her lifetime during a period of bitter factions and disunity in the church, largely because of her uncovering and reporting of sexual abuse. Completely exonerated over a hundred years after her death, she is now honored and celebrated for her life of “heroic virtue” and legacy of compassion, as she demonstrated her devotion to and adoration for Jesus through caring for and educating the rural poor. Here are some gems from Mary: “The love of Jesus is too strong for me not to cling to … His presence is before me, almost in everything, and I love to come to Him in prayer as to my dearest and only Friend … Though our crosses and sorrows are in a manner great, our own dear Lord’s love is much greater.”
Song: Jesus, Only Jesus
Charlotte Elliott penned the words to this beloved hymn: Just As I Am
In response, please read the last line of each verse with me . . . “Oh Lamb of God, I come, I come.”
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
Church Response: O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Song: Nearer My God to Thee
Hear Luke’s account of this day over 2000 years ago. Acts 2:1-4, 12-18, 21 – “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability … All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy … Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”‘”
Song: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus/King of Kings
Final Blessing: “May you walk, live and love in the liberty God has given you in Jesus. As Isaiah reminds us, let this be our prayer . . . ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, because the Lord has anointed us to bring good news to the poor, He has sent us to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.’ Lord, we are ever so grateful that you sent Jesus so that we can walk in this freedom, clothed in your grace; knowing you are always with us. Lord, use us to share the good news and help others find you that they may walk in this freedom. In Your Son’s Name we pray. Amen.”
