May 3, 2020

This will be Matthew week 12 at Park Church. The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life.

We’ll continue in the Sermon on the Mount this week, discussing Jesus and Anger.

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:21–26.

In the next several sections of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes some of the most foundational commands in the law and shows what it looks like to be obedient from the heart. He is addressing the internal drive behind the external behavior, and is calling His new covenant people to a life that will only be possible with Spirit-filled hearts.

Here, Jesus teaches that the driving force behind the act of murder is a heart of anger. Anger is the heart-level sin that destroys relationships, families, and communities. In this new Kingdom, God’s children should be quick to pursue reconciliation and to extend forgiveness. When God’s people follow the way of their King as peacemakers and grace-givers, they will shine the light of God’s grace in the world.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 27:4–5

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth arr. Citizens)
Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue)

CONFESSION OF SIN:

Everlasting God,
fountain of all life and the true home of every heart:
our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
Yet we confess that our hearts have been enslaved by selfish passion and base desire.
We have sought after many things
and have neglected the one thing needful.
We have not loved You with our whole hearts;
help us to turn to You and find forgiveness.
Lead us home, that we may again find in You
our life and joy and peace.
Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 5:6–8

I Am Loved (Jonathan Smith, Jason Ingram, Mack Brock)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

All Hail King Jesus (Gretzinger, Jackson, Mattis, Riddle)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

April 26, 2020

We’re in week 11 of Matthew at Park Church. The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life.

This week, we continue in the Sermon on the Mount, discussing Jesus and the Law.

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:17–20.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is teaching His new followers the ways of the Kingdom, and He anticipates some confusion. He was teaching about the Kingdom in ways that seemed revolutionary for His Jewish audience. It seemed like He was flipping their understanding of the Kingdom upside down. Was He attempting to ignore the instructions they had received from Moses? Was He making a break from Israel’s history and the promises of the prophets? Not by a long shot. Jesus claims that He had come to fulfill the law and the prophets.

God gave the Law to Israel in order to show them how to live in His Kingdom, to highlight their rebellious nature, and ultimately to reveal their need for a Savior who could transform their hearts. However, many of the teachers in Israel had reduced God’s instructions to a list of external behaviors. They were using their external obedience to the Law to cover up the decay that was festering in their hearts. Jesus sees straight through the pretense. He is the Savior to whom the Law was pointing, and His teachings reveal what true Kingdom faithfulness looks like. By the end of the Sermon on the Mount, it will be clear that faithfulness to God requires heart- level transformation, and that’s exactly what He had come to do.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Revelation 1:17–18

You Rose (Meditation on Revelation 1:17–18) (Rachel Buterbaugh, Joel Limpic)
The Lion And The Lamb (Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson, Leeland Mooring) / Forever (Gifford, Jobe, Johnson, Johnson, Taylor, Wilson)

CONFESSION OF SIN:

Gracious God, You have given us the law of Moses and the teachings of Jesus to direct us in the way of life. You send us Your Holy Spirit so that we can be born to new life as Your children. Yet, O God, we confess that the ways of death have a strong attraction and that we often succumb to their lure. Give us the vision and courage to choose and nurture life, that we may receive Your blessing. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 3:21–25

You Keep On Getting Better (Dante Bowe, Jonathan Jay, Majesty Rose)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

King Of Kings (Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood) / All Hail King Jesus (Gretzinger, Jackson, Mattis, Riddle)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

April 19, 2020

This week, we return to our series in the book of Matthew. It’s week 10, and we’re picking up where we left off in the Sermon on the Mount, discussing “Jesus and Mission” from Matthew 5:13–16.

Why Matthew in the first place? The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life. Here’s how you can prepare for this week’s 10am service stream!

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:13–16.

According to Jesus, the people of the Kingdom will experience tension and opposition in the world as they seek to be faithful to their King and His Kingdom (see 5:10–12). After all, Jesus’ mission to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth is a revolutionary movement. The temptation for His people would be to soften the edges of the Gospel and attempt to blend into the world around them—to either adapt or withdraw. To this impulse, Jesus calls His people to remember their identity and mission. Their call is not to shrink in insecurity and fear, but to shine as the beloved children of God. For it will be through their faithfulness to Jesus and their distinctive lives that God will transform the world.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 36:7–8

Come Thou Fount (Robert Robinson, John Wyeth)
Christ The Sure And Steady Anchor (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa) / No Longer Slaves (Joel Case, Jonathan David Hesler, Brian Johnson)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Book of Common Prayer:

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.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 1:7–9

GREETING

SERMON & COMMUNION

Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday