Sunday Meditation, August 1

Ambassadors of Reconciliation

Scripture for Meditation: II Corinthians 5:20-21

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hymn of Testimony: I Will Sing of My Redeemer 

I will sing of my Redeemer, and His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered, from the curse to set me free.

Refrain:
Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer, with His blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, He sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free.

I will tell the wondrous story, how my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy, He the ransom freely gave.

I will praise my dear Redeemer, His triumphant power I’ll tell,
How the victory He giveth over sin, and death, and hell.

Philip P. Bliss, 1838-1876
CCLI #2783020

Offertory Hymn of Praise: See, the Conqueror

See, the conqueror mounts in triumph; see the King in royal state,
Riding on the clouds, His chariot, to His heavenly palace gate.
Hark! the choirs of angel voices joyful alleluias sing,
And the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly king.

Who is this that comes in glory, with the trump of jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory.
He who on the cross did suffer, He who from the grave arose,
He has vanquished sin and Satan, He by death has spoiled His foes.

He has raised our human nature in the clouds to God’s right hand;
There we sit in heavenly places, there with Him in glory stand:
Jesus reigns, adored by angels; man with God is on the throne;
Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension we by faith behold our own.

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Dying, ris’n, ascending for us, who the heavenly realm has won;
Glory to the Holy Spirit, to one God in persons Three;
Glory both in earth and Heaven, glory, endless glory, be,
Glory, endless glory, be.

Copyright 2011 One Eyed Cat Music (BMI)
Text by Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-1885
Music by Jennifer Somers, Tyler Somers, and Mitch Dane
CCLI #2783020

Prayer of Blessing

Responsive Reading: Isaiah 53:7-12

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Hymn of Suffering: Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, see Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ by man rejected; yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long expected prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
By His Son God now has spoken: ’Tis the true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning, foes insulting his distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him, none would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed! See Who bears the awful load!
’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man, and Son of God.

 Here we have a firm foundation, here the refuge of the lost;
Christ's the Rock of our salvation, His the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded who on Him their hope have built.

Thomas Kelly, 1769-1854. Alt. 1961

Prayer of Corporate Confession

Silence for Personal Confession

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 5:10, 11

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Response: Thanks be to God.

Hymn of Pardon: Arise, My Soul, Arise*

Arise, my soul, arise! Shake off your guilty fears.
The bleeding Sacrifice in my behalf appears.
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands
My name is written on His hands.

Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary.
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O, forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O, forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One;
He cannot turn away the presence of His Son.
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pard’ning voice I hear.
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And, “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

*Children may leave during this song.

Ministry of the Word

Hymn of Response: Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

John Newton, 1725-1807

*All Scripture, English Standard Version. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission.