May 17, 2020

We’re back to the book of Matthew for week 13 of our the series, continuing in the Sermon on the Mount.

We’re also still in the season of Eastertide, the “Great Fifty Days” between Lent and Pentecost. If you’re saying to yourself, “I still don’t know what Eastertide is!”, visit The Christian Year, our artistic accompaniment to the church calendar, for a short explanation and some music, art, and written prayer for the season.

A note for parents in regards to this Sunday’s content:

This week we discuss Jesus and the topic of lust. If your children have not been introduced to the subjects and realities of sexuality, lust, or pornography, consider being prepared in advance of this week’s sermon to have them set up with some other resources for learning and worship. Here is this week’s Kids’ Sunday Worship page!

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:27–30.

Even with the shifting ethics in American culture, marital unfaithfulness is still generally discouraged. Lust, however, is considered virtually unavoidable. For this culture—and for the original audience—Jesus’ teaching about lust is both radical and incisive. He takes the seventh commandment, “do not commit adultery,” and addresses the deeper heart issue behind it. To lust after someone who is not your spouse is to commit adultery in your heart. Jesus treats this with extreme gravity, using hyperbolic images to prescribe radical measures for eliminating such a destructive sin. Here again, Jesus is trying to show His people that moral conformity and behavioral modification is an inadequate path to the flourishing life that He wants for His people.

However, the command itself has no power to transform the human heart. Jesus alone can transform bent hearts. He alone can wash away shame. He alone can give the power to pursue a life of purity, faithfulness, and love.

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 145:8–10

Take A Moment (Will Reagan)
Way Maker (Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Psalm 51:1–3, 9–10

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 1:7–9

All Hail King Jesus (Gretzinger, Jackson, Mattis, Riddle) / Glory Be To God The Father (Horatius Bonar, Joel Limpic)

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

His Mercy Is More (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 10, 2020

We step aside from our Matthew series this week for a one-off Eastertide message on the practical implications of the resurrection for our daily lives.

If you’re asking yourself, “I know about Easter, but what in the world is Eastertide?”, visit The Christian Year, our artistic accompaniment to the church calendar, for a short explanation and some music, art, and written prayer for the season.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday!

1. Read our text, Colossians 3:1–4.

In this season of Eastertide, what does it mean to live in light of the resurrection? What does the resurrection mean for us practically in our every day lives?

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: Revelation 1:4–6

Glory Be To God The Father (Horatius Bonar, Joel Limpic)
How Great Thou Art (Stuart K. Hine addl. verse JD Raab)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Parts Adapted from The Book Of Common Prayer:

Glorious and gracious God,
we come before You today with humble hearts.
We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.
We have not loved You with our whole hearts,
and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

Father, forgive our blindness to Your glory.
Jesus, awaken us to Your resurrection power.
Spirit, draw near to us and lead us into life.
Remind us who You are, and who we are in You!
Let us live this next week with wide eyes and open hearts.
In the powerful name of Jesus, amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 3:1–2

Who You Say I Am (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan) / 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

Through And Through (Will Reagan) / Before The Throne Of God (Charitie Lees Bancroft arr. Citizens, Shane & Shane)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

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