PUBLIC WORSHIP • SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

T H E WORD

CALL TO WORSHIP • Ephesians 5:14 “Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

“It is in Christ’s grasp of us rather than in our grasp of him

that our salvation and certainty lie.”

T. F. Torrance

Jesus Shall Reign Where’er The Sun Text: Isaac Watts • Music: John Hatton • Public Domain

To him shall endless prayer be made, and praises throng to crown his head. His name like sweet perfume shall rise with every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue dwell on his love with sweetest song, and infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on his name.

Blessings abound where’er he reigns: the prisoners leap to lose their chains, the weary find eternal rest, and all who suffer want are blest.

Let every creature rise and bring the highest honors to our King, angels descend with songs again, and earth repeat the loud amen.

PRAYER OF INVOCATION He is risen! He is risen indeed! Let us pray…

CALL TO CONFESSION OF SIN • Jeremiah 2:12-13

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

CONFESSION OF SIN Fountain of Living Waters, you give to all mankind life and breath and everything. But we have refused to honor you or give you thanks. We stubbornly pretend that we don’t need you, that we can help ourselves. We actively resist your presence and will in our lives. We thoughtlessly ignore you, which may be the worst slight of all. Yet you remain a God of light and life and love, and, in your grace, you have invaded this world to save us from ourselves. Your presence and will, as seen in Jesus, is better than our autonomy. We are sorry for our foolish rebellion. Please forgive us, and fix our eyes on Christ, who came to seek and save the lost, in whose name we pray. Amen.

(Silent confession)

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS • Jeremiah 3:22a “Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.”

May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you!

OFFERING • 2 Corinthians 8:7-9

As you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

DOXOLOGY Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! Praise him, all creatures here below! Praise him above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING • Psalm 82 A PSALM OF ASAPH. 1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray…

(Elder prays)

And now as our Savior taught us, we pray:

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.

I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say Text: Horatius Bonar • Music: Kingsfold • Public Domain

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us Text & Music: Stuart Townend • ©1995 Thankyou Music

GOSPEL READING • John 10:22-42 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Praise be to you, O Christ!

SERMON • “You’re in Good Hands” (Rev. Eric Costa)

T H E U PP ER ROOM

CONFESSION OF FAITH • The Nicene Creed What do you believe?

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who, for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. *

We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PASSING OF THE PEACE • Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

(Greet one another with the words, “The peace of Christ be with you.”)

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE AND PRAYER

WORDS OF INSTITUTION • 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

THE MYSTERIUM FIDEI • 1 Corinthians 11:26; 5:7-8 Let us proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast. The gifts of God for the people of God.

GIVING OF THE BREAD AND CUP (All who confess faith in Jesus Christ may partake of this Sacrament: baptized members of a congregation that proclaims the Gospel, who are at peace with God and with their brothers and sisters in Christ, and who seek God’s grace to live more faithfully for him in this world. Please come forward after the musicians. The glasses on your right contain grape juice for those who do not want wine. There are gluten-free crackers on the table. An Elder is available for prayer upon request [James 5:13-16].)

Or, “universal.”*

A Hymn To God The Father A Poem by John Donne • Music: Matthew H. Curl • Used by Permission

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won others to sin, and made my sin their door? Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

a year or two, but wallow’d in a score?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done, for I have more, I have more. (2x)

I have a sin of fear that when I’ve spun my last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

but swear by thyself, that at my death thy sun shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore.

And, having done that, thou hast done. I fear no more. I fear no more. (2x)

Victory In The Lamb Text & Music: Wesley Randolph Eader • © 2014 Door of Hope

He will clothe the poor with crowns in the kingdom he calls theirs.

He will raise them to the halls of heaven and release their earthly cares.

And the hard times, they will come. And the black clouds, they will break.

But his riches come with the morning sun and they grow green fields of grace.

(Chorus) So let all condemnation cease! Let guilt have no more claim!

Let the devil lose all dominion! For the Lamb of God he came!

And the Lamb of God was slain! And the Lamb of God was raised!

We will fix our wandering eyes on the wonders of our Lord.

By his sacred stripes we have been healed, through his wounds our joys supplied.

(Chorus)

Now the strong ones and the weak are the same under his blood.

For empty-handed all must come to receive his endless love.

(Chorus)

BENEDICTION • Revelation 1:4-5 Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come,

and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ

the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

~

Remember: every gathering is an opportunity to invite a friend, to introduce people to the Christ-centered community and life of the church!

After Worship • Please stay a while and join us for coffee and conversation.

Photo Directory • See Jerilee to get a picture taken for the photo directory (use the contact card below to provide whatever information you’d like included in the directory).

Newcomers’ Lunch • Sun., Sept. 10 at the Costa home (1890 SE Maple Street, Hillsboro). This will be a good chance to get to know each other and ask questions about our church, membership, et cetera.

Ladies’ Breakfast • 9am Sat., Sept. 23 at the Costa home. RSVP to Jerilee (jerilee.costa@gmail.com) and let her know if you’d like to help with food preparations.

Sunday School • We will start up Sunday School for the children (and Sermon Discussion for the adults) again this month. We’ll need more volunteers to share the teaching roles than we’ve had in previous years. Please consider whether you can help our young ones grow in their knowledge of Christ. Contact: Joe Pope (pope.joe@gmail.com).

Nursery Volunteers Needed •  Some of our current volunteers are transitioning to help with Sunday School, so we could use some more folks in the nursery rotation (which should be once every 6-8 weeks). Please contact Rainy Aznoe to learn more about serving in this way (rainyrr@aol.com).

Women’s Retreat • Oct. 13-15, Lincoln City. Contact Cheryl Boden for details (wu.gardens@gmail.com).

Regular Gatherings • For information about our meetings like home groups, bible studies for men and women, and more, please visit ascensionpc.org/calendar.

Nursery Volunteers (Contact: Rainy Aznoe, rainyrr@aol.com)

Today: Costa Next Sunday: Sery

Refreshments Volunteers (Contact: Nicole Hamilton, neh.hamilton@gmail.com)

Today: Elliott Next Sunday: Costa

Worship at 10am Sundays • SE 12th & Walnut, Hillsboro http://ascension.church • facebook.com/ascensionpc • twitter.com/ascensionpc

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Printed songs are used by permission under CCLI license #11109756. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(Please fill out this contact card, tear it off, and drop it in the offering.)

____________________________________________ [ ] I am a visitor. Name(s) [ ] I want to know more about being a Christian. [ ] I would like to get coffee with the Pastor. ____________________________________________ [ ] Please send me the email newsletter. Email / Phone [ ] Please use this info for the photo directory.