September 22, 2019

Before We Worship

Rich Mullins (1955–1997) was a well-known Christian musician. He was a rare exception among the popular Christian musicians of the 80s and the 90s. His songs were almost always thought-provoking, and at times even profound. Lines from his song “Hold Me Jesus” have always stayed with me: “Surrender don’t come natural to me. I would rather fight you for something I don’t really want, than to take what you give that I need. And I beat my head against so many walls. Now I’m falling down, falling on my knees.” This song always makes me feel naked. This is me. This is my song. I am the one fighting “for something I don’t really want, than to take what you give that I need.” Maybe this is your song also.

But God is not absent even in our struggles, and grace brings us on our knees. And there we find the one thing that we need. Jesus. The refrain of the song puts it beautifully: “Hold me Jesus, cause I’m shaking like a leaf. You have been king of my glory. Won’t you be my prince of peace?”

Failure is a great gift from God. Psalm 51 was written in the aftermath of David’s failure. His failure was many-sided. It had moral, spiritual, political, and military failure aspects. But see what happened. In God’s wise and mysterious providence, David entered into his failure because his heart was far from God. Yet at the end of the process, he was closer to God as he had ever been, perhaps even closer than he had been at the height of his success. David gained something through his failure what he did not possess before his failure: a broken and contrite heart.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” God’s grace is completely counterintuitive. We begrudge our failures. We think failure creates a chasm between our soul and God. It is true that we experience our failures as a kind of aching void and emptiness in our hearts. But when failures bring us down to our knees and ask for Jesus, then failure has done what success can never achieve, for it gives us a broken and contrite heart, a very acceptable sacrifice to God.

God uses many instruments to give us a broken spirit. Sometimes he uses our failures. At other times he uses weakness and grief. But regardless what instruments he uses, what matters is the posture of our heart. Will you say, “Hold me Jesus”? This is the best sacrifice and gift you can offer God.

Call to Worship

‡ Psalm 51:17 (p. 474)

‡ Trinity Hymnal #648 “My Jesus, I Love Thee”

‡ Trinity Hymnal #731 “Doxology”

Prayer of Invocation

The Reading and Exposition of the Law

Exodus 20:18–21 (p. 61)

The Shorter Catechism Qs. 79–81

[See here for lesson](https://gracefallbrook.church/grace-notes/scq82-84.

Prayer of Confession

The Proclamation of the Gospel

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)

Trinity Hymnal #485 “O Thou That Hear’st When Sinners Cry”

Presentation of Gifts and Offering

Pastoral Prayer

The Proclamation of God’s Word

John 1:14 (p. 886)

God of Truth

Rev. Ken Han

The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper

We participate in the Lord’s Supper weekly. We welcome to the Lord’s Table all baptized believers who have sincere faith in Jesus Christ, and regularly worship in a Reformed or evangelical church.

The Lord’s Supper is a sign and a seal of the new covenant blessings. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper with faith, it strengthens our bond with our covenant Lord, Jesus Christ. Thus we participate properly when we come to our Savior with faith and repentance as we renew our resolve to forsake sin and live for his glory.

The Lord’s Supper also renews our bonds with God’s covenant community, the body of believers in the local church. As we receive the Lord’s Supper, we renew our pledge to give ourselves away in loving service.

During the distribution of the bread we will sing TH #56 “When All Your Mercies, O My God” stanzas 1–3, and stanzas 4–6 during the distribution of the cup.

Trinity Hymnal #520 “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”

Benediction

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Growth Resources

Family Devotion for the Week

The September 15, 2019 sermon, Matthew 5:43–48. “God Is Good” is available on our church website. You can also catch up on older sermons from our Sermon page and subscribe to sermon podcast here.

Upcoming Events and Notices

Join us for “12 for 19” as we read 12 great books in the year 2019. In September we are reading Winston Smith’s “Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change Through Ordinary Moments”

TODAY: Please join us for Shorter Catechism lesson after the worship service.

September 29 (Lord’s Day): Please join us as we discuss Winston Smith’s “Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change Through Ordinary Moments.”

Nursery Volunteers

September 22: Yoori Han

September 29: Kelly Rogers