Order of Morning Worship
Welcome
Song of Praise “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee”
Call to Worship Psalm 8:1-9
Song of Praise “All Creatures Of Our God And King”
Confession of Faith Matthew 6:33
Song of Praise “Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)”
Prayer of Adoration; Lord’s Prayer
Greet One Another
Children’s Sermon
Prayer of Intercession
Giving of God’s Tithe and Our Offerings
Song of Preparation “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me”
Scripture Reading Colossians 3:1-4
Sermon “Alive In Christ: Craig Swartz
Putting What We Believe Into Practice”
Prayer of Commitment
Song of Response “I’ll Fly Away”
Benediction
C. S. Lewis:
“This is the question we all ask when we first come to Christ.
This is the ‘ordinary self’ talking.
The ‘natural’ person we are asks how to preserve life as we know it with as little disruption as possible.
We hope that when this Christian thing continues, the ‘natural self’ will also continue to have its needs met.
The problem is, since we are ‘in Christ’ the ‘natural self’ must not be our starting point or that which guides our life.”
1st main point
THE BELIEVER’S IN CHRIST
Ephesians 2:4-7
John 11:25-26a
The Ugly Duckling:
“There once was an ugly duckling with feathers all stubby and brown
And the other birds said in so many words get out of town get out, get out, get out of town.
And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quack in a flurry of eiderdown
That poor little ugly duckling went wandering far and near
But at every place they said to his face now get out, get out, get out of here
And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quack and a very unhappy tear
All through the wintertime he hid himself away ashamed to show his face, afraid of what others might say
All through the winter in his lonely clump of wheat till a flock of swans spied him there and very soon agreed you’re a very fine swan indeed!
A swan? Me a swan? Ah, go on!
And he said yes, you’re a swan take a look at yourself in the lake and you’ll see
And he looked, and he saw, and he said I am a swan! Wheeeeeeee!
I’m not such an ugly duckling no feathers all stubby and brown
For in fact these birds in so many words said the best in town, the best, the best
The best in town
Not a quack, not a quack, not a waddle or a quack but a glide and a whistle and a snowy white back
And a head so noble and high
Say who’s an ugly duckling?
Not I!
Not I!”
2nd main point
THE BELIEVER’S ON LIFE
Colossians 3:1-2
Samuel Rutherford:
“Desires or more grace and groanings which cannot be uttered are growing pains and we should wish to feel them more and more.”
Psalm 37:4
John Owen:
“What do you think about when you are not thinking about anything in particular?”
C.S. Lewis:
“Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for an extraordinary destiny”
3rd main point:
THE BELIEVER’S FOR THE FUTURE
Colossians 3:4
Philippians 3:20-21
Romans 8:29-31
Brother Lawrence:
“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God….
We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him…
We should feed our soul with a lofty conception of God and from that derive great joy in being his.
We should put life in our faith.
We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in doing His will, whether he takes us through sufferings or consolations.”