REDEEMER AT HOME
FEBRUARY 7, 2021
““The peace for which we hunger and thirst
is determined and made possible
only through the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
— Stanley Hauerwas
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.
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 feel the joy in this call to worship.
Call to Worship
Based on Psalm 23:1-2, 95:6-7
The Lord is our shepherd, we lack nothing.
He makes us lie down in green pastures,
he leads us beside quiet waters,
he refreshes our souls.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
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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
God, you know all things. You know that we are like a parched desert, empty and in need of replenishment.
Our bodies are tired.
Our souls are thirsty.
Our hearts are sore.
Father, you love us with a never ending love, so please make your presence and peace known to us today. For Jesus’ sake, 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
1. Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole
Chorus: Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end
2. Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my strength, my victory wins (Repeat chorus)
3. Jesus! What a help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul (Repeat chorus)
4. Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine (Repeat chorus)
By Wilbur Chapman
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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.
Sovereign God, Lord of the wind and waves, we confess that when storms of life come our way, we are often full of fear rather than faith. Though you laid the earth's foundations and gave the sea its boundaries, we quickly question your presence and power in our lives. Forgive our weakness of faith.
Help us to trust in your care over all creation, all kingdoms, and all that burdens us. Speak peace and stillness to our troubled hearts. In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
[Silent Confession]
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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
based on Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 5:1
Lift your heads and your hearts and receive this good news:
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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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 Trust
Verse 1:
When you pass through the waters I will be with you
And the depths of the river shall not overwhelm
When you walk through the fire you will not be burned
I am the Lord. I am the Lord
Chorus:
And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
For I am with you always.
Verse 2:
In the depths of your sorrow I wept beside you
When you walked through the shadow I drew you near
Yesterday, today, tomorrow – always the same
I am the Lord, I am the Lord
Bridge:
What can separate you from My perfect Love?
What can separate you from My perfect Love?
What can separate you from My perfect Love?
Do not fear. Do not fear. Do not fear.
By Audrey Assad, Paul Zach, and Isaac Wardel
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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.
Scripture
John 16:25-33
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
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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.
Message
Today Paul will introduce us to being anchored in peace.
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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.
Reflection
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.
- What are some ways you hear the word “peace” used in our world? How is the peace Jesus talks about different?
- Where do you long for peace right now? Put another way: where do you feel the troubles of this world the most?
- Like the disciples, in what ways do you feel like you’ve abandoned or deserted Jesus? Then, pause to consider this: "Jesus, in the full knowledge that his disciples would desert him, loved them and promised them peace. As they later looked back on this moment (likely feeling ashamed for forsaking him), they could reflect on how Jesus predicted their shortcoming and preempted it with grace." What do you think the disciples felt as they reflected on this?
- What does it mean that Jesus has overcome the world?
- Consider Christ's final words of teaching to his disciples: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” How might this shape the way you navigate things like hardship, loss, or suffering? (As you consider this question, remember that Jesus assumed these realities for his disciples and offered them an anchoring peace amid these realities)
- If you’re unsure of the claims of Jesus, consider how the peace of Christ compares to others places you look to for peace.
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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.
Prompted Prayer
Take a few minutes to pray aloud—whether alone or with others—prompted by the following.
- Thank Jesus for his anchoring peace that seeks you, embraces you, and holds you steady through the ups and downs of life.
- Ask the Father to grow your faith in Jesus' ability to anchor you in peace.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to grow you to embody his peace in one particular place or relationship. Then, take a minute to silently be still and listen.
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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.
Song of Reflection
Listen to this song that meditates on the enduring foundation of our peace.
Verse 1
Grace will prevail, though the darkness is strong
And the burden weighs heavy and long
Grace will prevail, for our God is the Light
Rending the cover of night
Grace will prevail
Chorus
Wait for the Lord our God
Wait for the Lord our God
Wait for the Lord, our rest and reward and our peace
Verse 2
Grace will prevail, in the valleys of shame
Where the echoes of failure remain
Grace will prevail, with a cry to the Lord
There's a mountain of mercy in store
Grace will prevail
Bridge
Take heart, he has overcome the world
He has overcome
Verse 3
Grace will prevail, through the wreckage and storm
And the brokenness washed on the shore
Grace will prevail, though an ocean we cry
He is with us and weeps by our side
Till the day they forever run dry
Words & Music: Paul Ranheim & Kirk Sauers
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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
Numbers 6: 24-26
Open your ears to hear and your heart to receive these words of God's blessing:
The Lord bless you and keep you:
the Lord make His face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you:
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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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.
Sources: ESV Bible, NLT Bible, The Message
© 2020 Redeemer Longmont