Sunday, 31st May 2009, Lauder
Lauder Pentecost Worship Service
Sunday, 31st May, 2009
Worship led by: Rev. Dr. Bruce Gardner
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST:
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!”
(Romans 10:9)
Channelkirk and Lauder Parish Church
Scottish Charity Number: SC 009892
VISITORS or RETURNING MEMBERS! Stay for tea & coffee with us!J
Channelkirk and Lauder Worship Service: Sunday, 31st May, 2009.
Welcome. Intimations. Call to Worship. Entrance of the Bible: please stand.
MP 51: Be Thou my vision
Prayer: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph 6:10-12)
Share God’s Peace with Others: ‘The Peace of the Lord be with You.’
Children: Cheeky asks…“Are you brave?”
MP 49: Be bold! Be strong!
Reading: OT: Jeremiah 31:31-34
NT: Acts 2:42-47
MP 611: Spirit of Holiness
PENTECOST SERMON: Holy Spirit or Human Spirit?
1] A LIVING BIBLE OR A DEAD TRADITION?
“They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ Teaching…”
2] A REAL BODY OR A TEMPLE BOUND FOR RUIN?
“…and to the Fellowship…”
3] A MEANINGFUL BREAKING OR A CARNAL TASTING?
“…to the Breaking of Bread…”
4] AN ENGAGED BATTLE OR AN ELEGANT TECHNICALITY?
“…and Prayer.” (Act 2:42)
MP 359: Jesus calls us, o’er the tumult
DEDICATION OF THE OFFERING
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THANKSGIVING
MP 445: Lord, the light of Your Love is shining
Benediction, 3-fold Amen.
The Bible goes before us into the World! Please remain standing.
THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD WORK TOGETHER.
The Westminster Confession, Chapter 1, sections i, iv-vii (Edited by BKG)
I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary to salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at various times, and in diverse manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will to His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and the world, to commit it wholly to writing, which makes the Bible vital.
IV. The authority of Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not on the testimony of any man or Church but wholly on God (Truth itself), its Author: so it is to be received as the Word of God.
V. We may be moved by the testimony of the Church to accord a high and reverent esteem to Holy Scripture and by the heavenliness of the subject matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of its style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give glory to God) and the full discovery it makes of the only way of Man's salvation, its many other incomparable excellencies and its perfection, are all arguments by which it abundantly shows itself to be God’s Word: nevertheless the full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority of it, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness to the Word in our hearts.
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life is either expressly set down within the Bible or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from it, to which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for a saving understand-ing of the things revealed in the Word: and that there are yet some circum-stances concerning the worship of God, and the government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which can be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the main rules of the Word.
VII. All things in Scripture are not equally plain in themselves nor equally clear to all: yet those things that are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.
V. We may be moved by the testimony of the Church to accord a high and reverent esteem to Holy Scripture and by the heavenliness of the subject matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of its style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give glory to God) and the full discovery it makes of the only way of Man's salvation, its many other incomparable excellencies and its perfection, are all arguments by which it abundantly shows itself to be God’s Word: nevertheless the full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority of it, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness to the Word in our hearts.
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life is either expressly set down within the Bible or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from it, to which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for a saving understand-ing of the things revealed in the Word: and that there are yet some circum-stances concerning the worship of God, and the government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which can be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the main rules of the Word.
VII. All things in Scripture are not equally plain in themselves nor equally clear to all: yet those things that are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.
NB: Faith asks the Spirit to reveal it as He wishes us to understand it.
INTIMATIONS:
1. Tea/coffee After the Lauder Service Today: Church Centre. All welcome!
2. Churches Open:LauderChurch is open (9am – 6pm) for visiting, prayer and reflection. Channelkirk is open throughout the day. Information is available for visitors. If you have ideas on such materials, tell Graeme Donald
3. House Groups: West Mains, 7.00pm, 2nd and 4th Mondays. Lauder & Oxton groups meet on 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7.30pm in term-time. The next Pot Luck Supper is June 22nd. To join a house group, call or email Bruce.
4. Bible Study: We meet this Wednesday at 7.30pm:
5. Family Services: If anyone plays a musical instrument and would like to take part in family services, call Bruce or Graham Jeffrey
6. Recorded Services: Judi Gunn records the Lauder services.
7. Gift Aid: Gift Aid helps at no extra cost. Place your donation in pew enve-lopes provided or call Billy Anderson for weekly donation envelopes.
8. All-Age C & L Web Group: If you can help, call Graham Jeffrey
9. Membership? To join, call Bruce for information about classes, or to transfer here from another Church, call Graeme Donald, .
10. Danger! Please don’t let children play round graves: stones are unstable!
11. Youth Café: To start a safe P7+ drop-in place in Autumn ’09, staffed by adults with a tuck shop, on Mondays (7-9pm), we need a supply of volunteers. Call Bruce. Youngsters live in a destructive world. Let’s show we care.
12. A Call to Biblical Givings: Part of the remit of our Church courts is to tell the truth, in an adult way, concerning the challenges that face all today. As the General Assembly recently emphasized, no congregation can ignore them for long. The Kirk is calling the congregations that can realistically do so onto an unquestionable financial footing, working to free ourselves from the habit of grant aid. This would end potential speculation about amalgamations for the foreseeable future. By being united and generous, we can stay sound, be fully viable and be seen to stand faithfully for Jesus. In case such a call to ‘raise our game’ is misinterpreted by anyone, this call to work towards ending habitual dependency on grant aid has gone out to the Kirk from the Assembly. The large resources that used to be there during boom years were derived from interest-rich investments that are no longer there in the same quantities. Pressure will increasingly come on all those who can afford to do so, to contribute more into the general pot, in order to offset the actual costs. Kirks will not be able to rely, endlessly on the grant aid of past years. They must start to free themselves of it.
13. General Assembly: The Assembly has set up a Special Commission to look into ordination and sexuality and it will report to the Assembly of 2011. Please pray for all the Ministers and People who face a historic and critical period.
