How great is our God;
Sing with me, how great is our God;
And all will see how great, how great
Is our God (sing all 2x)
Our God is greater, our God is stronger;
God you are higher than any other;
Our God is Healer, awesome in power;
Our God, Our God (sing all 2x)
…Our God
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
…Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
Lord, the light of Your love is shining,
In the midst of the darkness shining.
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us;
Set us free by the truth You now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Chorus: Shine, Jesus, shine! Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Blaze, Spirit blaze! Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow! Flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth Your Word, Lord, And let there be light!
As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,
So our faces display Your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here, may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me. Chorus:
We worship the God who was.
We worship the God who is,
We worship the God who evermore will be.
He opened the prison doors.
He parted the raging sea.
Our God. He holds the victory.
CHORUS: There’s joy in the house of the Lord.
There’s joy in the house of the Lord today.
And we won’t be quiet.
We shout out Your praise!
There’s joy in the house of the Lord.
Our God is surely in this place.
And we won’t be quiet.
We shout out your praise.
We sing to the God who heals,
We sing to the God who saves,
We sing to the God who always makes a way
‘Cause He hung upon that cross,
And He rose up from that grave.
My God’s still rolling stones away! CHORUS:
BRIDGE: We were the beggars, now we’re royalty.
We were the prisoners, now we’re running free.
We are forgiven, accepted, redeemed by His grace.
Let house of the Lord sing praise. (Sing Twice)
CHORUS:
We shout out your praise!
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in deepest sin My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them? Whom shall I send?
Chorus. Here I am, Lord, Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
INVOCATION
Pastor: We worship this morning in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES & PRAYERS
Pastor: God, our Father, each day is a gift of Your grace.
Congregation: Your mercies are new every morning.
P: Guide our steps by the light of Your Word.
C: Shield us from harm and keep us from evil.
P: Better than life is Your love.
C: Put joy in our hearts and praise on our lips. Alleluia!
P: We pray together:
C: Heavenly Father, we have come to worship You. Draw near to us in your gracious word and assure us of Your loving kindness. Curb our wandering thoughts that we may hear Your voice and sing Your praises. Open our hearts by Your Spirit, that we may believe in Jesus and grow day by day in Your grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
P: We have come into the presence of God who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children, but we have disobeyed Him and deserve only His wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to Him and plead for His mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against You and do not deserve to be called Your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to Your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands.
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone. Thou must save and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless look to Thee for grace.
Foul, I to the fountain fly – Wash me, Saviour, or I die!
P: Jesus says to His people: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.” His death paid for the guilt of Your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?
C: Yes, I believe.
P: Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I pronounce to you that your sins are forgiven. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life.
C: Amen.
P: We Pray.
C: O Lord, my God, I thank You for the love You have shown me in Jesus Christ, my Saviour. Let me live in the peace of forgiveness, help me fight against temptation, correct whatever wrongs I can, and serve You and those around me with love and good works. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
PSALM 104
P: How many are your works, Lord!
C: In wisdom you made them all.
P: All creatures look to you
C: To give them their food at the proper time.
P: When you give it to them, they gather it up;
C: When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
P: May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
C: May the Lord rejoice in his works –
P: He makes winds his messengers,
C: Flames of fire his servants.
P: I will sing to the Lord all my life;
C: I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
ALL: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever. Amen.
THANK OFFERING
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
(2 Corinthians 4:18)
PRAYER REQUESTS
PRAYERS
THE LORD’S PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen.
(Our prayer team is always ready to go to the throne of the Father for you.
For prayer chain requests, email prayer@livinghopereunion.church.)
BENEDICTION
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
GREET ONE ANOTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS