Preparing To Rejoice In Him // October 15, 2017

PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR WORSHIP ON OCTOBER 15, 2017

“We like to convince ourselves that our anger tells us more about the flawed people we live near than it tells us about ourselves. But there is simply no denying the harsh reality of the Bible’s hard-to-accept message — we are our own biggest problem. We are the thing with which we need help. There is no greater danger than the danger we are to ourselves. We need help, help that we cannot give ourselves.” -Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies

Anger occurs whenever something we love is threatened and sadly what I usually love is myself. No doubt, there is righteous anger. But, my anger, more often than not, is unholy because it is usually motivated by an inordinate love for myself.

But God, who is rich in grace in mercy, and because of His great love for us, even though we are deserving of all His anger and wrath, saves us by directing all His anger towards Jesus on our behalf. And Jesus, counts it all joy! May this move us to repent and worship this coming Sunday.

 

WORSHIP IN SONG

Jesus Lover Of My Soul

Jesus Lover Of My Soul

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high
Hide me, O my savior, hide, ‘till life’s storm is past
Safe into the haven guide; Receive my soul at last

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee
Leave, O leave me not alone, still support and comfort me
All my trust in Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring
Cover my defenseless head in the shadow of Thy wing

Thou, O Christ art all I want, more than all in Thee I find
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick and lead the blind
Just and holy is Thy name, I am all unrighteousness
False and full of sin am I, Thou art full of truth and grace

Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin
Let the healing streams abound, make and keep me pure within
Thou of life the fountain art; freely let me take of Thee
Spring Thou up within my heart, for all eternity

 

GOD’S CALL TO COME WORSHIP AND BE SURE OF HIS MERCY :: Psalm 36:5-7

[5] Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. [6] Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. [7] How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (ESV)

 

CONFESSING OUR FAITH IN GOD’S MERCY ::
Belgic Confession, Article 20: The Justice & Mercy Of God In Christ

We believe that God, who is perfectly merciful and also very just, sent the Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death.

So God made known his justice toward his Son, who was charged with our sin, and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us, who are guilty and worthy of damnation, giving to us his Son to die, by a most perfect love, and raising him to life for our justification, in order that by him we might have immortality and eternal life.

 

GOD’S WORD PREACHED ::

Jonah 4:1-4 (OP & SE Sermon Text)

Jonah’s Anger and the LORD’s Compassion

[1] But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. [2] And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. [3] Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” [4] And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?” (ESV)

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