James 3:13-18
Notes
Transcript
Welcome:
"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV)
The word for singing, cantare — you may also be familiar with canto, or songbooks called a cantus — is the root word from which we also get enchantment and incantation.
And that's the truth of it, isn't it? There is always something working itself upon our perception and affections. There are those Sirens' songs that distract, pull away, and capture our hearts and attention — and then there is the idea behind this word for song: something that, when sung, re-enchants us, breaking the spell, as it were, of our dull and lifeless thoughts, of our doubt, and brings us into the spell and charm (also from the same root) of another.
Zephaniah presents God as singing over us — loudly. He is calling for our attention.
So, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who will save and is calling for your attention this morning: welcome.
Announcements:
Amanda Yacoub Baby Shower - Today @ 3 P.M.
We want to share an important update with you regarding Craig and his service as an elder at Covenant of Grace.
Craig has served faithfully on this Session since the beginning of our church. His steady care for this congregation — the wisdom, the encouragement, the listening ear, the calming presence, the quiet labor behind the scenes — is a remarkable gift to this body. We are deeply thankful for the way he has loved and served Christ's church.
And Scripture teaches that a man's ministry begins in the home. Like every husband and father, Craig is called to cultivate and care for his marriage and family with diligence and intentionality.
All of us elders have this same work to do - and sometimes the work of ministry and service to the church can take time and focus that we should be applying at home instead. Work for the church, even done excellently, can be a distraction or replacement for other work we ought to do.
After prayers and conversations, we have all agreed that Craig should step down from his work on the Session to prevent his work for the church from playing that distracting role in his life.
To be clear, this is not a reflection on the quality of Craig's service or his love for the church. Rather, it is an example of the kind of humility and wisdom we hope to embody as Christians and as leaders — recognizing when attention is especially needed at home and responding accordingly.
We are grateful for him, and proud of the kind of man who, when it's pointed out, turns toward home.
Craig is not leaving the church. He and his family remain a loved and important part of Covenant of Grace, and you'll still see them here each Lord's Day.
Let me take a second to pray for Craig, for his family, and for our Session as we continue to seek to shepherd Christ's church faithfully together.
New shepherding updates
New Elders
Your shepherding elder will be reaching out to you within the next week or so. If you are not contacted, your shepherding elder will remain the same.
For those who are ready to move forward with membership — especially after completing our recent Sunday School series on the church — you will be assigned a shepherding elder after joining. Please let one of the elders know if you would like to pursue membership.
Hymn of preparation:
†CALL TO WORSHIP based on Romans 12:1
Pastor Austin Prince
Minister: The Lord calls - I have shown you mercy and redeemed you. Now, by my mercies, present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to me. This is your spiritual worship.
Congregation: By your mercies, O Lord, we offer ourselves to you. We come to worship.
†PRAYER OF ADORATION AND INVOCATION
Almighty God, you built your church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the cornerstone. Come, Holy Spirit, join us together by Christ’s faithful work and the saints faithful witness. May we too be a holy temple in which you dwell to the glory of our triune god.
†OPENING PSALM OF PRAISE #146
“Praise the Lord! My Soul, O Praise Him!”
†CONFESSION OF SIN AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON
based on Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:15
Each week we confess our sins before the Lord. We don’t want to think about sin in vague generalities or merely the presence of bad feelings in our lives. We want to specifically name the unbelief in our hearts, minds, actions and intentions with the name that God gives to them. We should not give them soft and sympathetic names but see them for what they are before a holy God—see them as sin. Of course, it is then that we can see what it is that God does with Sin through Christ. We must know that it is He that can take those specific and vile things away. We must stand before Him in humility and also in awe.
Minister: Let us confess our sins to our Father in heaven:
Congregation: Father in heaven, we thank you for the freedom you have given us through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. But we confess today that we often live like slaves.
Instead of living like you delight in us, we avoid you in shame and guilt. Instead of receiving your favor as a gift, we try to earn it with our efforts. Instead of pursuing your purposes, we cling to our own agendas. Forgive us. Embrace us. Cleanse us. Heal us.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Minister: Hear the assurance of the gospel: You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" Christians, your sins are forgiven.
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CONTINUAL READING OF SCRIPTURE Job 13:13-14:22
Elder Matthew Jarrett
THE OFFERING OF TITHES AND OUR GIFTS
PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
†HYMN OF PREPARATION #S4
“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery”
SERMON James 3:13-18 // Who Is Wise and Understanding?
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy scripture to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such a way hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our savior Jesus Christ.
TEXT JAMES 3:13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
AFTER SCRIPTURE
Every word of God is perfect, let his people bless his Holy name.
INTRO
†HYMN OF RESPONSE #465
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
THE MINISTRY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Minister: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord.
Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Congregation: It is right for us to give thanks and praise!
CONFESSION OF FAITH
The Nicene Creed p. 852
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
// ad hoc – brief connection to sermon theme if desired, then continue below //
Minister: Here is the table of the Lord; we are gathered to his supper for a foretaste of things eternal.
This table is for all who have faith in the risen Lord and are united with his Church in baptism and obedience. If you do not repent of your sin, you must not come. If you do not trust in Christ alone for your salvation, you must not come.
But if you confess your sin and rest in him, come. Come, you who are fearful, to find your rest in him. Come, you who are weak, to be made strong in faith. Come, you who are broken, and be made whole. It is not I who invite you, but the Lord. You who trust in him, come.
Congregation: What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits toward us? We will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are they who trust in him.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS
SHARING OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
CLOSING PRAYER
†OUR RESPONSE #248
Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, three in one,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
†BENEDICTION: GOD’S BLESSING FOR HIS PEOPLE
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him — having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.
Go in that wisdom. Go in that hope. Amen. (From Ephesians 1:17-19)
