February 5, 2023
February 5 — 11 AM Worship
You can find the order of worship and songs here.
Our worship service is (as every church's worship service inevitably is) the result of our theological reflection and the expression of our conviction. Our worship service begins with Call to Worship. God has the first word as the One who gathers and initiates the conversation between himself and us. The worship that begins with God's word also ends with God's word. For at the end of the service we hear the Benediction. The gracious God who invited us into his presence now sends us with his blessing. In our worship service, thus, God has both the first and the last word.
Indeed, our worship service is a corporate conversation between God and his people. God declares his Law. We repent and receive pardon together. We confess our faith together as the body of Christ. We are a diverse people of different heritage and background. But we are united in our faith and creed. We do not watch as audience while the praise band or the choir performs. We sing together, for our songs are our corporate prayers to the Lord. God declares his Word. We listen, and answer back in prayer. God invites us to his Table and feeds us bread and wine. Together, we thank God and sing.
Corporate Christian worship is both a rebuke to the hyperindividualism that rules the day, and a balm offered to the weary souls longing for authentic human connection. Even as our culture idolizes going at it alone, loneliness is also the defining epidemic of our age. We long for deep connections, but we are deeply suspicious of people who try to pry into our lives.
But there is a glimpse and a foretaste of better things to come. In corporate worship we gather as people who need to be forgiven and restored. We let down our guard and defenses. We call each other brothers and sisters, seeing in each person as much brokenness as we see in ourselves, but also seeing in one another the seed of immeasurable glory of redemption and restoration. Together we call upon the Lord, and we are drawn toward one another. That is how it is supposed to be.
Growth Resources
This Year: Please see the full list of 2023 books as well as Bible reading plans on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/12-for-23
This Month: We are reading "Loving the Old Testament" by Alec Motyer. Join us after worship on February 26 for a time of reflection.
This Week: We encourage you to make use of:
- Kevin DeYoung's "The Good News We Almost Forgot" pages 40–43, Lord's Day 6, for personal or family devotions.
- "Select Letters of John Newton," Letter 1 (pages 1–7), "A; or, Grace in the Blade. Mark 4:28."
Hymn of the Week: "I Asked the Lord" by John Newton / Indelible Grace. This is a beautiful hymn about the spiritual struggles we face as believers. May this hymn edify us and teach us wisdom through the struggles in our hearts: YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify.
Last week's sermon is availale on our church webpage: gracefallbrook.church/sermons.
Upcoming Events and Notices
February 5 (Lord's Day): A new Sunday School series will begin, and will be led by Rod Swab and Brian Suchoski. These lessons will meet every first and third Sundays of each month, and will follow the lessons from R.C. Sproul's "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith." Also February 19 & March 5.
February 12 (Lord's Day): Please join us for our monthly fellowship meal.
Thank you for your continued support of Grace Fallbrook (PCA). Your loving support makes the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of the saints possible. Please visit gracefallbrook.church/give and click on "Give Online Now." You will be directed to the PCA Foundation where you can give towards Grace Fallbrook (PCA).