HELPFUL LINKS

Blacknall Worship from Home
October 18, 2020

Invocation

Lord, you are God and you have made your light to shine on us. You have revealed to us the mystery of Christ, that “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Lord, you have done this and it is marvelous in our eyes. You have done it, let us, therefore, rejoice and be glad! You are our God, and we will praise you; you are our God, and we will exalt you. We give thanks to you, for you are good and your steadfast love endures forever! Amen. [from Psalm 118]

Song | “Lord Most High”

From the ends of the earth (echo)
From the depths of the sea (echo)
From the heights of the heavens (echo)
(together) Your name be praised!
From the hearts of the weak (echo)
From the shouts of the strong (echo)
From the lips of all people (echo)
(together) This song we raise, Lord –

Throughout the endless ages,
You will be crowned with praises,
Lord most high.
Exalted in ev’ry nation, Sovereign of all creation,
Lord most high, Be magnified.

With our heads bowed in prayer (echo)
With our voices in song (echo)
In our cry of repentance (echo)
(together) Your name be praised!
With our hearts filled with joy (echo)
Or from depths of despair (echo)
With the strength that you give us (echo)
(together) This song we raise, Lord –

With a heart full of thanks (echo)
For the gift of your Son (echo)
For the love that you show us (echo)
(together) Your name be praised!
In the light of your Word (echo)
As you guide us each day (echo)
All your children will join as (echo)
(together) This song we raise, Lord –

Throughout the endless ages,
You will be crowned with praises,
Lord most high.
Exalted in ev’ry nation, Sovereign of all creation,
Lord most high, Be magnified. (final time: repeat 3 times)

Words and Music by Don Harris and Gary Sadler
CCLI# 43066

Scripture Reading | I Peter 2.4-10

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Song | “Be Thou My Vision”

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word,
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I in Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all!

Traditional Irish hymn, trans. Mary Byrne, 1905.

Prayer of Confession

We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Therefore, dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. With God as our Vision, let us kneel and turn from sin and turn to a life lived in His wonderful light. [time of silent confession]

Lord, we kneel to confess and to renounce the way of Sin and Death. We renounce our pride that interprets every event, every relationship, as a means to increase our status, our rank. This leads to death and division. We renounce our greed that is never satisfied, that always wants and needs just a little bit more. This leads to fear and insecurity. We renounce our sloth that chooses comfort over compassion, that chooses to ignore rather than to engage. This leads to our being lost and lonely. Lord, we kneel to affirm that you are our Vision, our Wisdom, our High King. In you we find hope and purpose and Life--Life eternal and Life abundant. May our vision of you increase so that the desires of our hearts are transformed to reflect your heart. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Beloved, behold I tell you a mystery! Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and like me! Jesus Christ is alive! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven...

Passing the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be with you.
Response: And also with you

Affirmation of Faith | Apostles Creed

We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Children’s Blessing

With Leslie Petree.

Children’s Worship

If you would like to receive the Children’s Worship video email, please contact Beth Solie.

Proclamation of the Word | Pastor Allan Poole

The sermon is provided above in video and audio format.

Ephesians 3.1-13

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Song of Response | “Lavish Love, Abundant Beauty”

Lavish love, abundant beauty, gracious gifts for hearts and hand,
Life that fills the soul and senses – all burst forth at Your command.
Lord, our Lord, Eternal Father, great Creator, God and Friend:
Boundless power gave full expression to Your love which knows no end.

Who am I that You should love me, meet my every need from birth?
Why invest Yourself so fully in a creature made of earth?
In Your loving heart You planned me, fashioned me with greatest care;
Through my soul You breathed Your Spirit, planted Your own image there.

We are Yours, Eternal Father, off’ring body, mind and heart.
Take and use us to Your glory, form Yourself in every part.
Lord, Your love brings joy and gladness flowing forth within our soul –
May our very breath and being rise to You, their source and goal.

Words by Peter Ellis, 1986. Tune “Beach Spring”

Presenting Our Gifts | Online Giving

You are invited to respond to God’s Word by giving to the mission God has called us to at Blacknall. Your financial giving includes support of Sean & Carmen Garrigan, Andy White, & Durham CAN. Read their prayer requests here.

Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession | Prayer Requests

Lord, we give you thanks for the incomparable riches of your grace that you have given to us. We thank you that you have revealed to us the mystery of your plan of redemption given to us through Jesus Christ. We thank you that you have called us to make known your manifold wisdom to “the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”

We thank you that through Jesus Christ our Lord we can approach you with freedom and confidence.

We pray this morning for your Church in Durham and around the world. We pray that our small body of believers at Blacknall might play our part in the coming of your Kingdom. May our life and work together be a faithful witness to who you are, to your character and to the character of your Kingdom.

Lord, in these days, help us to be a people of grace and truth. Help us to reflect your unity. Help us to reflect your mercy and forgiveness in how we relate to one another as well as how we relate to those who are our neighbors and to those who would be our enemies. Help us to speak your truth, to stand with those who are most vulnerable. Help us to be bold where you would be bold and help us to be gentle with those who are bruised and broken.

Lord, as one people, we bring to you in prayer those who are precious to you:

We pray for those who are older, who need tender care and for those who care for them… (mention those by name)
We pray for our children, in our congregation and in our city and in our world… (mention those by name)
We pray for those who are sick and in pain…(mention those by name)
We pray for those who are grieving… (mention those by name)
We pray for the poor and the poor in spirit and for those who are meek, who cannot imagine that you would care about them… (mention those by name)
We pray for those who are alone...
We pray for those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness and may that be us. Give us hearts, minds, and bodies that long after you.
And Lord, help us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep so that we reflect the truth that we are One Body.
We pray this as your People whom you taught to pray...

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

Benediction

Song | “Salvation Belongs to Our God”

Salvation belongs to our God,
Who sits upon the throne,
And unto the Lamb....

Praise and Glory, Wisdom and Thanks,
Honor and Power and Strength
Be to our God forever and ever! (3x)
Amen!

And we the redeemed shall be strong
In purpose and unity,
Declaring aloud....