April 18, 2021 – Redeemer At Home

REDEEMER AT HOME

APRIL 18, 2021

Some Tips for Using

Redeemer At Home

Let's face it: none of us come to "scattered at-home worship services during Covid" as a pro. We're all beginners. There's going to be some uncertainty and even awkwardness. That's okay. We can laugh. We can grow. We can learn together.

That said, here are a few tips to get you started:

Zoom it up. Feel free to ask others to go through the service together online.
Split up the parts. Before you jump into the liturgy, divvy out who will lead each section.
Look it up. If you're unfamiliar with one of the elements, there are brief explanations off to the right side.
Sing along. We know you probably don't sing along with your computer too often, but we believe worship is meant to be embodied and participatory. So join in!

"Jesus does not come to us

to relieve us of all yokes or burdens;

rather, he comes offering us a yoke worth wearing,

a burden worth bearing."

— William Willimon

Welcome

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If you are new to Redeemer or would simply like to connect more to this community, let us know below. We'd love to share more about this church and get to know you better.

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Preparation

As a household, give yourselves a few moments to settle in. Take a few deep breaths. Check-in with yourself/household: name the thoughts that are filling your mind in this moment.

Take a few more deep breaths.

Now be reminded of the great joy that comes with the kingdom of God.

Call to Worship

Psalm 98:1-6

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 his salvation known

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered his love

and his faithfulness to Israel;

all the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,

burst into jubilant song with music;

make music to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of singing,

with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—

shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

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In the Bible, God invites us to worship because it is not our natural impulse to come to Him. Still He calls, reminding us of His pursuing love. May we respond out of gratitude.

Opening Prayer

Everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being: You have made us for yourself, so that our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Enable us now by the Holy Spirit to rest in Christ, who brings us into the Father’s joy. Amen.

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Prayer is simply conversation with God. Our worship is filled with prayer as we seek to know and delight in our Father.

Song of Praise

Verse:

Though the nations rage kingdoms rise and fall

There is still one king reigning over all

So I will not fear for this truth remains:

That my God is, the Ancient of Days

Chorus:

None above him, none before him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power all the glory I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Verse:

Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul

He is here with me I am not alone

O his love is sure and He knows my name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Chorus:

None above him, none before him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power all the glory I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Verse:

Though I may not see what the future brings

I will watch and wait for the Savior king

Then my joy complete standing face to face

In the presence of the Ancient of Days

Chorus:

None above him, none before him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power all the glory I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Prayer of Confession

Before you begin, remember that the Father already extends his forgiveness and smiling love through Jesus. There is nothing left to earn. All that remains is to receive.

Gracious and merciful God,

we confess to you and to one another that time after time

we have entered your presence with countless prayers

but with hearts that have been closed to your grace.

We have lifted our hands to you in praise,

but our feet have still walked in the ways of evil.

We have rehearsed your commandments,

but have refused to see your face in the needs of our neighbor.

We pray, Lord, that you forgive our lack of faith

and pardon our indifference to your justice.

Silent Confession

Loving Father, for the sake of Jesus,

have mercy on us and forgive us.

By your Holy Spirit,

enable us to delight in your will

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name. Amen.

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This prayer helps us bring the most shame-filled parts of our hearts and lives to Jesus. Although God already knows everything about us, when we confess to him our wrong, we experience afresh his unending forgiveness and welcome.

Assurance of Grace

Colossians 1:13-14

Lift your heads and your hearts and receive this good news:

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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The assurance is a powerful reminder that God always has grace for the wayward. He never leaves us in our sin. For all who trust in Jesus, this grace is assuredly and undoubtedly yours. Sin is not powerful enough to sway God's love and grace for you.

Song of Commitment

Verse 1:

Hear the call of the kingdom

Lift your eyes to the King

Let His song rise within you

As a fragrant offering

Of how God rich in mercy

Came in Christ to redeem

All who trust in His unfailing grace

Verse 2:

Hear the call of the Kingdom

To be children of light

With the mercy of heaven

The humility of Christ

Walking justly before Him

Loving all that is right

That the life of Christ may shine through us

Chorus:

King of Heaven we will answer the call

We will follow bringing hope to the world

Filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim

Salvation in Jesus' name

Verse 3:

Hear the call of the Kingdom

To reach out to the lost

With the Father's compassion

In the wonder of the cross

Bringing peace and forgiveness

And a hope yet to come

Let the nations put their trust in Him

Chorus:

King of Heaven we will answer the call

We will follow bringing hope to the world

Filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim

Salvation in Jesus' name

By Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, and Stuart Townend

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Prompted Prayer

Take a few minutes to pray aloud for our needs and those of our world, prompted by the following.

For a willingness and eagerness to learn more of God and His mission
For Redeemer Longmont to be a place where people are equipped to be ambassadors for the kingdom of God
For victims of human trafficking

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We pray for ourselves, our community, and our world because God asks us to.

Prayer is simply conversation with God. Our worship is filled with prayer as we seek to know and delight in our Father.

Scripture

Philippians 1:12-18

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

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Since the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus have read Scripture as part of their worship. We believe God meets us in His word and that we are people who need to be shaped by this encounter.

Homily

Justin briefly unpacks the text and sets up the prayer

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For centuries, Christians have gathered to hear God's word preached, explained, and applied. We believe the word of God contained in the Bible are words of life, joy, and true freedom.

Reflective Prayer

Take an extended time to prayerfully ponder and apply this passage. If you're with others, share your responses together. Feel free to journal or draw your thoughts and emotions.

Take a few minutes to write out or discuss with your household the circumstances in your life that are most difficult to find joy amid.

In prayer:

Ask God to help you remember that he is bringing redemption to all things
Thank Jesus for the comfort of his nearness to you in the frustrations and difficulties you mentioned earlier
Ask that God would make himself known through these challenging circumstances — to you and to those around you
Thank Jesus for the joy of being tethered to him amidst the difficulties of this life

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For centuries, Christians have found a variety of ways to slow down and consider God and His word. Especially if this is an unfamiliar practice, we encourage you try being present in this way, asking the Holy Spirit to fill the sacred moment.

Song of Response

This song is a prayer asking the Lord to bless our labors. May we pray these words for the sake of our vocations and also for the sake of Redeemer Longmont being established.

Verse 1:

If You don't build it, we labor in vain

Without Your Spirit, we stand with no strength

I know my life is passing away

But the works of Your hands are what will remain

Pre-Chorus:

Let the favor of the Lord rest upon us

Chorus:

O Lord, establish the work of our hands

Verse 2:

Teach us to number the length of our days

Pour out Your power, we'll pour out Your praise

Teach us to run, to finish the race

For only what's done in love will remain

Pre-Chorus:

Let the favor of the Lord rest upon us

Chorus:

O Lord, establish the work of our hands

Refrain:

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Aaron Keyes, Sandra McCracken, Orlando Palmer, Madison Cunningham, Liz Vice, Paul Zach, and Isaac Wardell

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Benediction

2 Thesalonians 2:16-17

Open your ears to hear and your heart to receive these words of God's blessing:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

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God gets the final word of our service—and it is one of grace. Receive this blessing from the mouth and heart of our Father.

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PRAY FOR ME

GIVE

Sources: ESV Bible, NLT Bible, The Message