pentecost, week 18 05 october 2014 C I T Y C H U R C H Reflection вЂњThe world isn't fair, Calvin.вЂќ "I know Dad, but why isn't it ever unfair in my favor?вЂќ вЂў Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes вЂњThe [Jacob story] affirms that we do not live in a world where all possibilities are kept open and we may choose our posture as we please.В This [story] speaks about an inversion.В It affirms that we are not fated to the way the world is presently organized.вЂќ вЂў Walter Brueggemann, Genesis ! ! Preparation Use the time before the service as an opportunity to prepare for worship, quiet your heart, and receive Christ. Feel free to read the reflections above. As a courtesy, please turn off your cell phone, beeper, iPod, or other noisemaker at this time. Welcome The ancient Celts believed that there were вЂњthin placesвЂќВ on this earth; places where you could experience the veryВ presence of God. Worship is a вЂњthin placeвЂќ between heaven and earth whereВ we meet with God. When we gather for congregational worshipВ we enter into the very presence of the Living God.В No matter who you are or what you have done, God, by hisВ grace, is able to change your life forever. Meet withВ him at this вЂњthin placeвЂќ: worship. Credits All Scripture references taken from the New International Version (NIV), unless otherwise noted. 2. 0 5 O C T O B E R Call to Worship Psalm 95:1-2 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Prayer of Invocation вЂњCome Thou FountвЂќ * Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above Praise his name I'm fixed upon it, name of thy redeeming love 2 0 1 4 The Call to Worship is an invitation into the unique activity of worship. Our primary activity in the worship service is to participate in the gift exchange of worship itself, by hearing GodвЂ™s Word, by offering prayers and praise, and by receiving spiritual nourishment offered at the LordвЂ™s table. The term invocation implies that the congregation invokes, or вЂњcalls upon,вЂќ God. In it, we express our longing for God as well as deep dependence and humility. ! Hitherto thy love has blessed me, thou hast brought me to this place And I know thy hand will bring me, safely home by thy good grace Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God He, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood ! O to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above вЂў Words: Robert Robinson (1758) вЂў Music: John Wyeth (1813) !! !! !! !! ! *Indicates congregation standing 3. C I T Y C H U R C H вЂњ10,000 ReasonsвЂќ * The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning It's time to sing your song again Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me Let me be singing when the evening comes CHORUS Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul Worship his holy name Sing like never before, O my soul вЂЁ I'll worship your holy name Why do we sing in church? As God's people gather for worship, we focus our attention on God and away from ourselves by singing together. We respond with thanksgiving to God, because we have hope. And we sing because it is the best and most complete response that we can utter. You're rich in love, and you're slow to anger Your name is great, and your heart is kind For all your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find And on that day when my strength is failing The end draws near and my time has come Still my soul will sing your praise unending Ten thousand years and then forevermore вЂў Words + Music: Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman (2011) First Reading * Genesis 25:21-26 (ESV) 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, вЂњIf it is thus, why is this happening to me?вЂќ So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, ! As the Bible is the primary means by which God speaks to and edifies his people, we read and listen to the Scriptures together in worship. In ancient Israel and the early church, services of worship were organized for the public reading of scripture вЂ“ a practice vital to building up the community of faith. вЂњTwo nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.вЂќ ! 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob.Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. !! ! ! 4. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 Call to Confession Based on Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithвЂ”and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of GodвЂ” not by works, so that no one can boast. Because we are saved by grace, let us freely admit the ways in which we have attempted live life apart from God. 0 1 4 Because sin is so pervasive in both our corporate and individual lives, Christians and non-Christians are called to come before the Father with honesty and transparency, confessing our brokenness and asking for both forgiveness and healing through Jesus ChristвЂ¦ ! Corporate Confession вЂ¦we confess corporately to show our unity even in our brokenness. God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we are your covenant people and our citizenship is in heaven. Yet we confess, O Lord, that we sometimes lose sight of your kingdom and its ways. We confess that we sometimes live more as citizens of our own land than as citizens of your kingdom. By your truth you call all peoples to account. Forgive us for losing our distinctiveness. Focus us on the cross and on the salvation you give through him who is the Lord and King and Judge of us all, Jesus, the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. ! Private Confession ! Assurance of Forgiveness Isaiah 44:21-22 (NRSV)В Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. We confess individually in order to own our failing toward God and toward humankind in thought, word and deed. Christ has given the Church authority to declare forgiveness of sins in his name. Because of this, when the liturgist proclaims that your sins are forgiven, you can know that Christ agrees. !! !! ! ! ! 5. C I T Y C H U R C H вЂњFrom The Inside OutвЂќ * A thousand times I've failed, still your mercy remains And should I stumble again, I'm caught in your grace Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fails Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame ! Your will above all else, my purpose remains The art of losing myself, in bringing you praise Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fails Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame In my heart and my soul, Lord I give you control Consume me from the inside out Lord let justice and praise, become my embrace To love you from the inside out ! CHORUS Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fails Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame And the cry of my heart, is to bring to bring you praise From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out вЂў Words + Music: Joel Houston (2006)! Prayers of the People The Lord's PrayerВ In response to God's having gathered us in worship, we offer our petitions to him for the church, the nation, the world, the city and those who are suffering. Based on Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Community Updates At this time children grades K-5th are dismissed for CityKids children's church. ! ! ! 6. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 Second Reading Genesis 27:18-34 (ESV) 18 So he went in to his father and said, вЂњMy father.вЂќ And he said, вЂњHere I am. Who are you, my son?вЂќ 19 Jacob said to his father, вЂњI am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.вЂќ 20 But Isaac said to his son, вЂњHow is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?вЂќ He answered, вЂњBecause the Lord your God granted me success.вЂќ 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, вЂњPlease come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.вЂќ 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, вЂњThe voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.вЂќ 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, вЂњAre you really my son Esau?вЂќ He answered, вЂњI am.вЂќ 25 Then he said, вЂњBring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.вЂќ So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, вЂњCome near and kiss me, my son.вЂќ smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac вЂњSee, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!вЂќ 30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, вЂњLet my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me.вЂќ 32 His father Isaac said to him, вЂњWho are you?вЂќ He answered, вЂњI am your son, your firstborn, Esau.вЂќ 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, вЂњWho was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.вЂќ 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, вЂњBless me, even me also, O my father!вЂќ Prayer of Illumination The prayer of illumination acknowledges the SpiritвЂ™s work in this part of worship by requesting GodвЂ™s Spirit to act through the reading and preaching of Scripture. The prayer is offered for both the preacher and the listener, for both the speaking and the hearing of the Word. 7. C I T Y Sermon The Gospel According to Jacob and Joseph, Part 1 вЂњBlessing to the DeceiverвЂќ вЂ“ Genesis 27:18-34 (ESV) Rev. Brad Jones, Lead Pastor ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8. C H U R C H A sermon is not just teaching for living; it is mainly a time when Christ encounters his people through his Word. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 Affirmation of Faith * The ApostlesвЂ™ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended to the dead. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. 0 1 4 When we affirm our faith together, it reminds us that we are part of an ancient and global faith. This basic creed of Christian churches, as most familiarly known, is called the Apostles' Creed. It has received this title because of its great antiquity; it dates from very early times in the Church, a half century or so from the last writings of the New Testament. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Invitation to the Table Words of Institution 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 On the night on which Jesus was betrayed, he sat at supper with his disciples. While they were eating, he took a piece of bread, said a blessing, broke it, and gave it to them with the words, вЂњThis is my body. It is broken for you. Do this to remember me.вЂќ Later he took the cup, saying, вЂњThis cup is GodвЂ™s covenant, sealed with my blood. Drink from it, all of you, to remember me.вЂќ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the LordвЂ™s death until he comes. ! ! *The word "catholic" refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ. 9. C I T Y C H U R C H Distribution of the Bread + Cup CityChurch welcomes all baptized Christians вЂ“ those who are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation and who are members of congregations that proclaim the gospel вЂ“ to receive the Holy Communion (also called the LordвЂ™s Supper, or the Eucharist) with us. We will be coming forward to receive Communion. When you come forward, tear a piece of the bread, and then dip it into the cup. Please note that we use wine in Communion. If you cannot receive wine, nonalcoholic white grape juice is also available. If you are not able to receive The LordвЂ™s Supper, please use this time to meditate on one of the prayers below. вЂњThe Eucharist is the definitive action practiced in the Christian community that keeps Jesus Christ before us as the Savior of the world and our Savior, and ourselves as sinners in need of being saved. The Eucharist is the sacramental act that pulls us into actual material participation with Christ (eating and drinking bread and wine) as he gives his very life вЂњfor us and for our salvationвЂќ (cf., the Nicene Creed)... The Eucharist puts Jesus in his place: dying on the cross and giving us that sacrificed life. And it puts us in our place: opening our hands and receiving the remission of our sins, which is our salvation.вЂќ вЂў Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places Prayers of Meditation for Those Not Communing Prayer for Those Searching for Truth Prayer of Belief Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing, and that leads to the life that you promise. Amen. Lord Jesus, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my punishment on the cross, and offering forgiveness and new life. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as Savior and Lord. Amen. Prayer for Those Overcome with Sin Lord Jesus Christ, grant that I may see in you the fulfillment of all my need and may turn from every false satisfaction to feed on you, the true and living bread. Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely and run with perseverance the race set before me, looking to you, the pioneer and perfecter of my faith. Amen. Prayer for Renewal 10. Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you in baptism, to love God and neighbor, and to a life of committed discipleship in your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with your people, to pursue forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace, and to live in the fullness of your Spirit. Amen. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 Communion Song вЂ“ вЂњCome Ye SinnersвЂќ * ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VERSE 1 Come ye sinners poor and needy Weak and wounded sick and sore Jesus ready stands to save you Full of pity, love and power CHORUS I will arise and go to Jesus He will embrace me in his arms In the arms of my dear Savior Oh there are ten thousand charms VERSE 2 Come ye thirsty, come and welcome God's free bounty glorify True belief and true repentance Every grace that brings you nigh ! VERSE 3 Come ye weary, heavy laden Lost and ruined by the fall If you wait until you're better You will never come at all вЂў Words: Joseph Hart (1759) вЂў Music: Robbie Seay (2002) вЂњYou Alone Can RescueвЂќ *! Who, oh Lord, could save themselves, Their own soul could heal? Our shame was deeper than the sea Your grace is deeper still ! ! CHORUS You alone can rescue, You alone can save You alone can lift us from the grave You came down to find us, led us out of death To You alone belongs the highest praise You, oh Lord, have made a way The great divide You heal For when our hearts were far away Your love went further still Yes, your love goes further still ! We lift up our eyes, lift up our eyes YouвЂ™re the Giver of Life вЂў Words + Music: Matt Redman (2010) ! ! 11. C I T Y C H U R C H Gifts + Offerings Christ calls us to give generously as a sign of gratitude for how much he has given us. Our response to his grace enables us to give sacrificially of ourselves to one another and the work of ChristвЂ™s Kingdom. Your gift is an act of personal worship to God in response to his grace in your life. The allocation of your time and money to GodвЂ™s service should be a byproduct of prayer and consultation with other Christians to whom you are accountable. If youвЂ™re new to CityChurch, or are exploring Christianity, youвЂ™re under no obligation to give. However, if you call CityChurch your вЂњhome church,вЂќ consider allocating a significant portion of your tithe and offering to the community where you invest most of your time, and where others are investing in you. The offering box is located on theВ tableВ as you exit.В For your convenience, one-time or recurring gifts can be made online at: citychurchpb.com/giving (select account CityChurch Pompano Beach).В You may also give via text message by simply texting a dollar amount to 954.320.0092 and following the instructions. Benediction * Based on Psalm 45:7 The Lord Almighty is with you; В В the God of Jacob is your refuge.В 12. Just as we ordain new ministers and send them into the world to serve, in the Benediction, Christ ordains you with a blessing that equips you for service. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 !VISION THE VISION OF CITYCHURCH is the Spiritual, Social, and Cultural renewal of Pompano Beach. MISSION WE SEEK TO BE the very presence of Christ in Pompano Beach by cultivating a community of Faith, Hope + Love VALUES Faith Hope Love Because we are a Community of Faith we value: Because we are a Community of Hope we value: Because we are a Community of Love we value: The Gospel. The Gospel is the only hope for humankind. The message of the Gospel is that Christ has done what is necessary to bring us into a relationship with God. We keep it at the center of everything. The City. Christianity has always thrived in an urban context. We love Pompano Beach, and want to live, work, celebrate, raise our families, enjoy, and serve this great city. Life in Community. The Trinity is at the core of Christian truth; namely that God himself has always been in community вЂ“ the Father and Son and Spirit all loving, giving and sharing with one another. We acknowledge that we need each other, and that the life Jesus offers works only in connection with a community of faith. Mission & Movement. Because God is the one who initiates relationships, and sent his Son to seek and save people, we will pursue relationships with people in hope that they will be restored to their Father. CityChurch does not exist as an end in itself вЂ“ we desire to be an incubator for church planting throughout South Florida, in that when we grow, we will be very intentional about spinning off and beginning new congregations throughout our city. Each of these churches will partner with us in pursuing the goal of spiritual, social, and cultural renewal.вЂ© Arts & Industries. We believe that the good news of the Gospel is about GodвЂ™s redemption of this fallen world and its cultural expressions. We are a church that welcomes, encourages, and equips artists of every medium... and therefore we will seek to offer artists opportunities to show or perform their work, providing encouragement for them to grow and develop as artists. We also believe that the good news of the Gospel impacts work and the marketplace. We will encourage men and women to use their positions, talents, and gifts to the best of their abilities, and to the betterment of our city.вЂ© Social Healing. The Gospel is the good news of ChristвЂ™s kingdom. CityChurch seeks to partner with local social service agencies that assist the suffering in our own local community. Furthermore, we will pray for sensitivity to the mercy needs of our community and will seek to serve our neighbors out of ChristвЂ™s love. 13. C I T Y C H U R C H CityGroups CityGroups are mid-sized gatherings of 15-20 people who exist to rehearse the Gospel together, live it out to one another, and to be an extension of God's love to our neighbors while serving the community around us. В ! Tuesdays 6p - Hosted by Brad and Mandi Jones (kid-friendly) Meets in South Pompano Neighborhood 6p - Hosted by John and Vanessa Thompson Meets in Central (Old) Pompano Neighborhood Fridays 8:30p - Hosted by Nathan and Lauren Hable; Fabio and Michelle Dias Meets in East Pompano Neighborhood ! !! вЂњWe who follow Jesus are a sent people, even as Jesus was sent into the world by His Heavenly Father. We are a community sent on a mission together: to keep on doing the ministry of Jesus so that all people and all creation might experience the reconciliation of God. God has designed the church of Jesus Christ to be a вЂ�missionalвЂ™ fellowship. The word вЂ�missionвЂ™ comes from the Latin word вЂ�missioвЂ™, which means вЂ�having been sent.вЂ™ Since we have been sent to do God's work, we are a вЂ�missionalвЂ™ community together.вЂќ вЂў Mark D. Roberts For more information or to join a CityGroup, email: info@citychurchpb.com. DNA Groups DNA (Discipleship, Nurture, Accountability) groups usually consist of 3-4 peopleвЂ”men with men, women with womenвЂ” who meet together weekly to be known and to bring the gospel to bear on each others lives so that they grow in and live out our identity in Christ.В If you are interested in being a part of a DNA group, email info@citychurchpb.com. ! CityKids Check-In System Parents, please note that we have a new wristband check-in system for our CityKids ministry. Upon signing in your child to CityKids, the child will receive a green numbered wristband and you will receive a tear off tab with the same number. The tab is to be presented to the classroom leader during pick up. В If the tab is misplaced, a photo ID from the person who signed the child in must be presented. Thank you for your cooperation as we strive for a fun and safe environment for our CityKids. В For any questions, email us at info@citychurchpb.com. 14. 0 5 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 Upcoming Events (Mark Your Calendar!) Sundays вЂ“ CityKids Fundraiser for World Vision Our CityKids will be selling cold water bottles on Sundays before and after service to partner withВ our half marathon race team to raise money for clean water projects in Africa through ourВ partnership with World Vision! В Stop by their table in the back and give a donation for an ice coldВ water on these hot Florida days! В All proceeds will be donated to World Vision! Mon, Oct 6, 7:30p вЂ“ CityChurch Writers Group Brew VicPark (638 N Federal Hwy, FTL) Songwriters, poets, playwrights, authors: you are invited to a monthly meeting of creative minds in our community. For more information, contact CityChurch Fort LauderdaleвЂ™s Artist-inResidence Laura Creel (laura@citychurchftl.com). Thu, Oct 9 вЂ“ Day of Prayer & Fasting With war and persecution throughout the world, as well as the individual needs of our congregations, we invite you to spend a day in fasting and prayer with us at CityChurch South Florida. At 6:30pm we will gather at Tyler and Lauren ArringtonвЂ™s house (1361 NE 46 St, Oakland Park, 33334) for a night of prayer and to break the fast. Please plan to join us.В Weds, Oct 15, 12-12:30p вЂ“ Faith + Work Lunch Upper Room Art Gallery at Riverfront (300 SW 1 Ave #123, FTL) If you work in downtown FTL, join us on your lunch break for a brief time of teaching, discussion, and community. В Lunch provided. To RSVP, contact Brad Schmidt (brad@citychurchftl.com). !! Sat, Oct 18, 9a-noon вЂ“ Fruitful Field Work Day The Fruitful Field (100 NE 44 St, Pompano Beach) Join us on the third Saturday of the month to cultivate and work the Fruitful Field Community Garden. For info on volunteering, email: info@citychurchpb.com. Weds, Oct 29, 5-7:30p вЂ“ Volunteer Opportunity Parkway United Methodist Church (100 NE 44 St, Pompano Bch) CityChurch will be serving at the Wednesday dinner for the homeless and underserved in our community hosted by Parkway United Methodist Church and the Fruitful Field Community Garden. If you would like to help with cooking, serving or clean-up, email: info@citychurchpb.comВ or call: 954-543-1142. RightNow Media Video Resource Library Now Available With our partnership in the Acts 29 Church Planting Network, CityChurch has been given free membership to RightNow Media, the "Netflix of video Bible studies.вЂќ Through their website you can instantly access toВ thousands of videos covering a range of topics to challenge and encourage you from leaders like Tim Keller, John Piper, Matt Chandler,В Eric Mason, J.D. Greear, R.C. Sproul and many more! You can access and view these videos from your smart phone, tablet or computerвЂ¦watch them on your TVвЂ¦orВ project them for group viewing. For more information, as well as, how to get your free membership, fill out the card at the Info Table in the back after the service.В ! ! !! Visit Us Online В Download next week's bulletin, get sermon audio, keep up-to-date with our events calendar, set up repeated giving, and more on our website (citychurchpb.com). Get updates throughout the week on Twitter (@CityChurchPB) or by joining our Facebook page (facebook.com/citychurchpompano). 15. Office вњ¦ 441 NE 3 Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304 | Phone вњ¦ 954.543.1142 Web вњ¦ citychurchpb.com | Email вњ¦ info@citychurchpb.com CityChurch has no formal affiliation with the Pompano Beach Civic Center. We are grateful to them for allowing us rental space at their facility. CityChurch Pompano is a Baptist congregation affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention