Katelyn Aguayo 5/5/21 Katelyn Aguayo 5/5/21

Gathering Preview | 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 | Gifts of the Spirit

6th Sunday of Easter - The liturgy readings for the Sixth Sunday in Easter are a call to love each other just as we are loved by God. The readings remind us that God loves us and that God is love. And in the gospel, Jesus commands us to love in order that we might know real joy.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,

for he has done marvelous things!

His right hand and his holy arm

have worked salvation for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation;

he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness

to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

with the lyre and the sound of melody!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Psalm 98:1-6

Prayer

SONG | This Is Amazing Grace

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:1-5

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk-in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

SONG | Way Maker

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

John 15:9-17

PRAYER

SONG | Holy Holy Holy

SCRIPTURE READING - Corinthians 12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts: brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues, to another, interpretation of tongues. One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11.23-26)

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus (Trust In Jesus)

SONG | God Of This City

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

New Circle Church 4/28/21 New Circle Church 4/28/21

Sermon Recap | The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament | Shane Mosby

When we reflect on the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives today, in the Trinity and in creation more broadly, we often fall into the trap of assuming the Holy Spirit arrived on scene following Jesus’ ascension into Heaven after his resurrection. After all, in John 14 Jesus did promise that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to be received by his people. But the presence of the Holy Spirit is much more foundational to the Christian faith than what occurred around 2,000 years ago, and occurs today when someone accepts Christ as their savior. The Holy Spirit is foundational to God’s overarching story and plan for redemption.

Throughout the Old Testament God’s word speaks to the presence of the Holy Spirit in action, well before Jesus’ arrival to earth. In Isaiah 42:1 it is written, “This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him”. And in Isaiah 42:5-6, “This is what God, the LORD, says—who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it—“I am the LORD. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand.” It would seem that God’s intervention in and through humanity and His creation more broadly is often carried out through the mysterious workings of the Holy Spirit, and is an expression of God’s will in creation rather than a necessary response to man’s activity, as we may be inclined to assume.

Time and time again in the Old Testament we see the Holy Spirit referred to when the creation account is referenced. Beautiful language about God’s creative design often goes hand in hand with language that describes the very same being carried out by the Spirit. This speaks to the creative work of the Spirit not just in the creation account, but in the way creation is upheld and maintained today. In the very first account of God’s creation of the universe, Genesis 1:1-3 reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” This speaks to the Spirit’s presence from the beginning, but again, is clearly an active force in the order and upholding of creation today. Deuteronomy 32:11 reads, “He watches over his nest like an eagle and hovers over his young; he spreads his wings, catches him, and carries him on his feathers.” This imagery of God “hovering” gives an idea of his active presence and oversight in the creative order that is present in his creation.

His Spirit was present and active from the beginning, the Spirit is present and active today, but what does God’s word have to say about his role in the future, new creation? The creative work of the Spirit points to the new creation of our salvation. Jesus describes this reality in John 3:3-8, “Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” In Ezekiel 36:26-37 it says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.” In both accounts, the Spirit that is passed on to God’s people carries this sort of eternal trajectory for Heaven. That’s not to say that receiving the Spirit is a “credential” “required” for access into Heaven, but rather is a form of confirmation that a person truly is of God’s eternal family. It’s one of the wonderful mysteries of the Christian faith, and should lead us to marvel and worship at God’s design and plan for redeeming his people.

The Old Testament also shows us the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is sustaining creation while also providing that sustaining power to those indwelt by Him. Speaking of God’s active role in upholding creation and man, Job 34:14-15 says “If he put his mind to it and withdrew the spirit and breath he gave, every living thing would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.” This should also lead us to fearfully worship our God who so upholds the world that is so fragile in the balance yet chooses to care and maintain for the sake of his purposes, which include redeeming all that has been broken by sin. Speaking of the Messiah in Isaiah 42:1-4 it reads, “This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice. He will not grow weak or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth.” Similarly, the servant is spoken of by having the Spirit upon him, yet not wielding that as a sort of divine power to be abused, but rather acting with justice, humility and faithfulness.

Lastly, just as God sustains creation through the Holy Spirit, we are being sustained by him, both physically and spiritually. The sustaining power of the Holy Spirit points to his ongoing work in our salvation. What does that mean? Are we not saved from the moment we receive the Spirit? Romans 8:8-13 says “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” then in Galatians 5:16 it says “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” This once again displays one of the fascinating mysteries of the Christian faith. While we receive the Spirit from the moment we confess Jesus as Lord, the active work of “putting to death the deeds of the body” is an ongoing process that takes a lifetime. But God is faithful. He does not give us the Spirit and then sends us packing to figure out how to do that on our own. We have access to the Father through prayer, and have the privilege of reading his word, and communing with other members of his Church so that we can navigate that mystery together. John Stott describes this experience when he says “The Christian life is essentially life in the Spirit, that is to say, a life that is animated, sustained, directed and enriched by the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit true Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, indeed impossible.”

As Christians, how are we to respond to these truths, that God’s Spirit has acted, is acting now, and will continue to act in the future, both in creation and in our own lives? For starters, we should take time to pause, reflect and meditate on these truths. These are large, complex realities of the faith that cannot be summarized into a single excerpt, and are worthy of our attention and reflection. We also should celebrate in the fact that we worship a God who so dearly cares for his creation and will see through his ultimate plan for redeeming that which has been created. We also must ask the question of where we see the Spirit at work in our lives and in the world around us. If we can’t answer that question, why is that? Is that because he truly isn’t at work in the world around us, or is there another reason? Once again, these questions are worth pondering and meditating on and bringing before God. Whether it is in his broad purposes in redeeming his creation at large or the individual, careful plan God has to redeem his people, God’s Spirit resides every step of the way.

Katelyn Aguayo 4/28/21 Katelyn Aguayo 4/28/21

Gathering Preview | Galatians 5:16-26 | Walking By The Spirit

CALL TO WORSHIP

You stir my praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who humble their hearts before Him. Those who are suffering will eat and be nourished; those who seek Him will praise the Eternal. May your hearts beat strong forever! Those from the farthest reaches of the earth will remember and turn back to look for the Eternal; All the families of the nations will worship You. The Eternal owns the world; He exercises His gentle rule over all the nations.

Psalm 22:25-28

Prayer

SONG | Mighty To Save

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God.

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

1 John 4: 7-21

SONG | How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

John 15:1-8

PRAYER

SONG | Here I am to Worship

SCRIPTURE READING - Galatians 5:16-26

I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Lead Me To The Cross

SONG | Hope In Jesus

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Eph 3:20-21

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 4/21/21 Katelyn Aguayo 4/21/21

Gathering Preview | Isaiah 42:1-9 | The Holy Spirit In the Old Testament

CALL TO WORSHIP

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Psalm 145: 1-5 (NRSV)

Prayer

SONG | 10,000 Reasons

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalm 145:8-9; 15-18

SONG | From The Inside Out

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

Holy Spirit, come to me,

rest right here, inside of me

guard my heart, keep my mind

let it be Your peace, that I find.

Holy Spirit, come be with me,

continually support, all of me

lead my soul, direct my ways

hear the words, my heart prays.

Holy Spirit, come anoint me,

place your seal, right here in me

Spirit of Life, Spirit of Grace

may Your wisdom, I embrace.

Holy Spirit, come comfort me,

release and deliver, unto me

all Your might, all Your power

counsel me, every waking hour.

Holy Spirit, my Father's gift to me,

Spirit of Christ, living inside me

Spirit of God, Spirit of holy Fear

come whisper truth, in my ear!

Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

NICENE CREED

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

God from God,

Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made;

of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,

and was made human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered and was buried.

The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again with glory

to judge the living and the dead.

His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life.

He proceeds from the Father and the Son,

and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

He spoke through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

and to life in the world to come. Amen.

SONG | How Great Thou Art

SCRIPTURE READING - Isaiah 42:1-9

“This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice. He will not grow weak or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth. The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.” This is what God, the Lord, says—who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it— “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house. I am the Lord. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. The past events have indeed happened. Now I declare new events; I announce them to you before they occur.”

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Holy Spirit

SONG | Great Are You Lord

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Col 3:16-17

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 4/14/21 Katelyn Aguayo 4/14/21

Gathering Preview | John 16:5-16 | The Works of the Holy Spirit

CALL TO WORSHIP

Listen, Israel! The Eternal is our True God—He alone. You should love Him, your True God, with all your heart and soul, with every ounce of your strength. Make the things I’m commanding you today part of who you are. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re sitting together in your home and when you’re walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning. Do whatever it takes to remember them: tie a reminder on your hand and bind a reminder on your forehead where you’ll see it all the time, such as on the doorpost where you cross the threshold or on the city gate.

Deut. 6:4-9 (The Voice)

Prayer

SONG | Forever Reign

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. And you will eat the old supply, and clear out the old because of the new. 9-10 (NASB)//

“I’ll set up my residence in your neighborhood; I won’t avoid or shun you; I’ll stroll through your streets. I’ll be your God; you’ll be my people. I am God, your personal God who rescued you from Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely.

LEVITICUS 26:11-13 (The Message)

SONG | We Sing As One

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:4-10 (ESV)

NICENE CREED

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

God from God,

Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made;

of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,

and was made human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered and was buried.

The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again with glory

to judge the living and the dead.

His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life.

He proceeds from the Father and the Son,

and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

He spoke through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

and to life in the world to come. Amen.

SONG | Promises

SCRIPTURE READING - John 16:5-16

But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you. “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Jesus Paid it All

SONG | I Surrender All

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

1 Thess. 5:23-24

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 4/7/21 Katelyn Aguayo 4/7/21

Gathering Preview | John 14:16-26 | Who is the Holy Spirit

CALL TO WORSHIP

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

Galatians 5:22-26 (The Message)

Prayer

SONG | Friend of God

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

1 Cor. 6:19-20

SONG | Be Thou My Vision

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:18-27

Come Creator Spirit

To our deepest mind, your home

You who made our inmost hearts,

Fill them with your heavenly grace.

Your title is the Paraclete,

Gift of God Most High;

Living Spiring, and Fire, and Love,

Spiritual anointment.

You, who are sevenfold in your gifts,

Finger of God’s right hand,

According to the Father’s promise

You gift our lips with speech.

Come set brightness in our senses,

Pour love into our hearts,

Strengthen our failing bodies

With your unfailing power.

Drive far away the Enemy,

And soon bring us back to peace.

With you before us on the path

We shall avoid all danger.

Grant us knowledge of the Father

And knowledge of the Son, through you,

Who are ever Spirit of them both,

As our faith declares.

All glory to the Father

And to the Risen Son

And to the Paraclete,

From age to age. Amen.

—Hymn to the Spirit of God (9th Century)

SONG | Give Thanks to God

SCRIPTURE READING - John 14:16-26

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me. “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

SONG | Jesus We Love You

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." - Romans 15:13

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 3/28/21 Katelyn Aguayo 3/28/21

Gathering Preview | Matthew 28:1-15 | Fear and Joy | Easter Sunday

CALL TO WORSHIP

On this mountain, he will swallow up the burial shroud, the shroud over all the peoples, the sheet covering all the nations. When he has swallowed up death once and for all, the Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove his people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him. Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:6-9

Prayer

SONG | He’s Alive

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I preached to you when we first met. It’s the essential message that you have taken to heart, the central story you now base your life on; and through this gospel, you are liberated—unless, of course, your faith has come to nothing. For I passed down to you the crux of it all which I had also received from others, that the Anointed One, the Liberating King, died for our sins and was buried and raised from the dead on the third day. All this happened to fulfill the Scriptures; it was the perfect climax to God’s covenant story. Afterward, He appeared alive to Cephas (you may know him as Simon Peter), then to the rest of the twelve. If that were not amazing enough, on one occasion, He appeared to more than 500 believers at one time. Many of those brothers and sisters are still around to tell the story, though some have fallen asleep in Jesus. Soon He appeared to James, His brother and the leader of the Jerusalem church, and then to all the rest of the emissaries He Himself commissioned. Last of all, He appeared to me; I was like a child snatched from his mother’s womb. You see, I am the least of all His emissaries, not fit to be called His emissary because I hunted down and persecuted God’s church. Today I am who I am because of God’s grace, and I have made sure that the grace He offered me has not been wasted. I have worked harder, longer, and smarter than all the rest; but I realize it is not me—it is God’s grace with me that has made the difference. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether it was I or the other witnesses who brought you the message. What matters is that we keep preaching and that you have faith in this message.

1 Cor. 15:1-11 (The Voice)

SONG | All I have is Christ

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever. Let Israel say, “His faithful love endures forever.” The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly. The Lord’s right hand is raised. The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!” I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord disciplined me severely but did not give me over to death. Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the Lord’s gate; the righteous will enter through it. I will give thanks to you because you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight. This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

The Gift

By LI-YOUNG LEE

To pull the metal splinter from my palm

my father recited a story in a low voice.

I watched his lovely face and not the blade.

Before the story ended, he’d removed

the iron sliver I thought I’d die from.

I can’t remember the tale,

but hear his voice still, a well

of dark water, a prayer.

And I recall his hands,

two measures of tenderness

he laid against my face,

the flames of discipline

he raised above my head.

Had you entered that afternoon

you would have thought you saw a man

planting something in a boy’s palm,

a silver tear, a tiny flame.

Had you followed that boy

you would have arrived here,

where I bend over my wife’s right hand.

Look how I shave her thumbnail down

so carefully she feels no pain.

Watch as I lift the splinter out.

I was seven when my father

took my hand like this,

and I did not hold that shard

between my fingers and think,

Metal that will bury me,

christen it Little Assassin,

Ore Going Deep for My Heart.

And I did not lift up my wound and cry,

Death visited here!

I did what a child does

when he’s given something to keep.

I kissed my father.

SONG | King of Kings

SCRIPTURE READING -Matthew 28:1-15

EASTER SUNDAY

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men. The angel told the woman, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.” So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. Just then Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” As they were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money and told them, “Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping.’ If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will deal with him and keep you out of trouble.” They took the money and did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among Jewish people to this day.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Resurrecting

SONG | What a Beautiful Name

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. "

Romans 6:8-11

KIDS

"He is not here; he has risen!”

Luke 24:6-7

"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Philippians 3:10

KIDS

"Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life!”

John 11:25

(based on Hebrews 13)

And now, may the God of peace,

who brought back again from the dead our Lord Jesus,

equip you with all you need for doing his will.

May he produce in you,

through the power of Jesus Christ,

all this is pleasing to him.

To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 3/28/21 Katelyn Aguayo 3/28/21

Midweek Meditation | Easter Sunday 2021

Pastor Christopher leads through our Midweek Meditation on Matthew 28:1-15 studying fear and joy. The purpose of the Midweek Meditation is to give you an opportunity to rest, meditate on Scripture, and prepare yourself for the upcoming Gathering.