Liturgy Lessons: October 21, 2018
Call to Worship: Selections from Job 38 and Ps. 89
Prayer of Invocation
Hymns of Praise: God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength; Our Great God (Ortega)
Confession: Jeremiah 5:21-25 and 17:14
Assurance of Pardon: from Isaiah 54 and Col. 1
Hymn of Assurance: Come Thou Fount (#457)
Catechism/Congregational Prayers
Reading of the Word: Luke 8:22-25 (Jesus calms a storm)
Doxology: #731
Sermon: Rev. Eric Irwin
Tithes and Offerings
The Lord’s Supper: Jesus, Lover of My Soul (#508); The Lord is My Salvation (Getty)
Closing Hymn: A Shelter in the Time of Storm
Benediction
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
– Mark 4:35-41
“Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.”
– Kathrina von Schlegel (1855)
Biblically faithful liturgies will contain the good news of the gospel, and capture the essence of Christ’s character in all its beautiful paradox. Basically, a good worship service should have both transcendence and immanence. For Christ is both fully God and fully man. Our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29), and Christ is the Sun that dispels all darkness (Jn. 1:4-5), and by his brilliance shall all heaven be illuminated (Rev. 21:23). Yet this same holy fire also embraced Shadrach and the boys, and descended at Pentecost into human hearts, so that we are now “made a light to the world” (Acts 13:47). Therefore, worship that focuses only on the intimate and the therapeutic will fail to draw the self up and out into true discipleship and surrender. Christian worship should not be just feel-good moments of musically induced adrenaline and self-help “successory” sermons. The Sanctuary is not a counselor’s couch. It is a battle ground and a banquet hall. When the cross of Christ is the central theme of our worship, and not the work of man, then we are given the gift of a more profound comfort, for “We are not our own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q1).
The goal of our liturgies, then, is pretty simple. We craft them so that Christ is “lifted up” so that we may be “drawn unto him” (Jn. 12:32). If, indeed, Jesus is both Sovereign and Savior, then our worship should be forming in us a simultaneous fear and trust. We tremble before God’s glory, and yet we rest in His grace. We fall down before him in holy reverence, but we are also risen up with Christ into the Father’s embrace. What a wonder! How is it possible that the creator of the cosmos, who stills a hurricane with his voice, can stoop to whisper in our ears, “Peace, be still”? He who shaped the solar system and spins the spheres can also soothe the sin-sick soul and speak serenity to the most troubled spirit.
This week we hear the story of Jesus calming the storm. His paradox on perfect display. Awesome power and abundant peace. Seems as if this mystery has inspired quite a few hymnwriters. Consider this excerpt from one of our hymns for this Sunday:
“Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, o my savior, hide, ‘till the storm of life is past,
Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last.”
That was written in 1740 by Charles Wesley during a particularly stormy season of his life. And, over 250 years later this same theme is picked up by the songwriter Fernando Ortega, this time recognizing that we are all in the same boat:
“Lord, we are weak and frail and helpless in the storm.
Surround us with your angels, and hold us in your arms.
Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm.
Rise up, O Lord, and he will flee before our Sovereign God.”
Christ is Lord of the universe and Lover of our souls. He authored creation, yet abides with us. He is worthy and altogether wonderful! How my soul longs to bring Him the glory due His name. Will you help me sing out His praise?
The Lord is My Salvation
Words and Music: Keith and Kristyn Getty, Nathan Nockels and Jonas Myrin
Here is a new hymn that I picked up while in Ireland, the home country of Keith and Kristyn Getty. It is an enthusiastic anthem that is growing in popularity, and becoming a regular part of worship services in both Ireland and in America. Its popularity is due to the simple truth in the lyrics and the very memorable rousing chorus at the heart of the song. The opening verse of this hymn encapsulates the theme for this Sunday’s service, and it pretty much sums up the heart of the gospel:
“The grace of God has reached for me,
and pulled me from the raging sea;
And I am safe on this solid ground.
The Lord is my Salvation!”
There is the obvious message of personal salvation. Christ’s immanence is on display. But the hymn doesn’t stop there. It builds to a chorus that celebrates the incomparable greatness of the Lord and his victory over death and hell.
“Who is like the Lord our God?
Strong to save, faithful in love
My debt is paid and the vict’ry won
The Lord is my salvation!”
And at the end of the song we are reminded that Christ’s saving work in our hearts is part of God’s redemptive plan throughout all of history. It is not just about me and Jesus. And so the personal statement of “the Lord is my salvation” is changed to “The Lord is our salvation.” And then the hymn builds to a climactic finish by quoting the Gloria Patri. By quoting this ancient text, we are brought into the unending chorus that encircles the throne, and our voices are united with all the saints that have gone before.
“Glory be to God the Father
Glory be to God the Son
Glory be to God the Spirit
The Lord is our salvation!”
Brothers and Sisters, do you feel like you are drowning? Is there a storm raging all around you? Are you afraid, anxious, lacking in faith? May you be encouraged this Sunday as you encounter Christ in our worship. We will all be in the same boat, crying out together, “Lord, Master!” And Christ will rise, redeem, renew, and restore. He is our peace. The Lord is OUR salvation!