October 29, 2017

This is week 35 of The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses—we’re nearing the end of the book! Here’s how you can prepare for worship this week:

1. Read through our text, Acts 27:1–28:10.

By the Holy Spirit and angelic visitation, Paul is enabled by God to help a boat with 276 passengers (among whom he’s being held as a prisoner) avoid being lost at sea. They shipwreck on an island called Malta, where the locals welcome and accommodate them for three days. Miracles happen to and through Paul that lead many to see the power of God. By the Spirit and the word of God to him, Paul’s unshakeable hope in the Gospel of Jesus anchors his soul and brings glory to God in the tempest.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 46

How Firm A Foundation (Author Unknown)
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm arr. Charlie Hall)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Jeremiah 10:23–24

Lord I Need You (Carson, Maher, Nockels, Reeves, Stanfill)

His Mercy Is More (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Isaiah 54:7–10

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Waves And Billows Thine (Megan James, Henry March, JD Raab)
On Christ The Solid Rock (William Batchelder Bradbury and Edward Mote, arr. Austin Stone)

BENEDICTION

October 22, 2017

We’re in week 34 of The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 23:23—26:32.

Paul’s journey continues as a prisoner for the Gospel, taking him all the way to King Agrippa, one of the rulers of the Roman Empire. Through many accusations, questions, and potential death sentences, Paul’s message is unflinching: “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles” (v. 26:22–23).

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 148:1–6

All Creatures Of Our God And King (William Henry Draper, St. Francis of Assisi)
Yes And Amen (Anthony Brown, Chris McClarney, Nate Moore)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty God, You have raised Jesus from the grave
and crowned Him Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before Him
or acknowledged His rule in our lives.
We have gone along with the way of the world
and failed to give Him glory.
Forgive us and raise us from sin,
that we may be Your faithful people,
obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who rules the world and is head of the church, His body.
Amen.

How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

It Is Well With My Soul (Horatio G. Spafford, Philip P. Bliss)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson, Dean Ussher)
In Christ Alone (Keith Getty, Stuart Townend)

BENEDICTION

October 15, 2017

This week at Park Church we’re in week 33 of The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 21:1–23:22.

Paul arrives in Jerusalem prepared to advance the Gospel at whatever cost. A lot of ground is covered in the narrative, but Paul is beat by an angry mob, imprisoned, and nearly whipped by the Romans, all the while preaching the Gospel boldly to many people in the power of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers the people of God to sacrificially engage in the mission of God.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 100

Before The Throne (Charitie Lees Bancroft, arr. The Modern Post)
How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Eternal God, we confess that often we have failed
to be an obedient church:
we have not done Your will;
we have broken Your law;
we have rebelled against Your love;
we have not loved our neighbors;
we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm)

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Galatians 4:4–7

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Come Lord Jesus (Dustin Kensrue)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

October 8, 2017

We’re back to The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses this week at Park Church. It’s week 32 of the series, and we’ll continue in this series until the beginning of Advent on Sunday, November 26, taking the two weeks beforehand to specifically discuss Acts and the Spirit. As for this week, here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 20.

The narrative of Acts 20 contains at least two moments that may shake us up: the reviving of Eutychus and the “goodbye” discourse of Paul. The two make one argument, summarized well in v. 35, “…we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” What else can we receive anymore, now that we’ve received “the Gospel of the grace of God” (v. 24)? What more could we possibly be equipped to give than our testimony of the same (v. 21, 24)? The Gospel of the grace of God brings life in every sense of the word.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 103:1–5

10,000 Reasons (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman)
Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook, based on Psalm 51:10–12

Merciful God,
You pardon all who truly repent and turn to You.
We humbly confess our sins and ask Your mercy.
We have not loved You with a pure heart,
nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves.
We have not done justice, loved kindness,
or walked humbly with You, our God.

Have mercy on us, O God, in Your loving-kindness.
In Your great compassion,
cleanse us from our sin.
Create in us a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within us.
Do not cast us from Your presence,
or take Your Holy Spirit from us.
Restore to us the joy of Your salvation
and sustain us with Your bountiful Spirit
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Nothing But The Blood (Robert Lowry, arr. Page CXVI)

Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery (Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Psalm 103:8–13

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

All The Poor And Powerless (Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)
King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

BENEDICTION