Order, Words, & Voices

Order

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Pre Worship Audio (10:15am) – ‘Calming Acoustic Guitar’

Music 1 (10:30)  Victory In Jesus Makaela/Abbie

No Longer Slaves

Welcome/Prayer (Gallery View) Rick

Music 2   Blessed Assurance Makaela/Abbie

Scripture Online – Kelly

Testimony Andrew/Jaimie

Music 3 How He Loves Makaela/Abbie

Message Graced With Mistrial Segun

Music 4 Jesus You Alone Makaela/Abbie

Benediction (signal to Petty when slides are ready) Petty

Community (Gallery View) Rick

Closing Peace                                         Rick

Closing Audio – ‘Calming Acoustic Guitar’

Words and Voices

Music 1 (19 Slides)

Victory In Jesus

CCLI Song # 1259

Eugene M. Bartlett

Verse 1

I heard an old old story
How a Savior came from glory
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me

I heard about His groaning
Of His precious blood’s atoning
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory

Chorus

O victory in Jesus
My Savior forever
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood

He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood

Verse 2

I heard about His healing
Of His cleansing pow’r revealing
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see

And then I cried dear Jesus
Come and heal my broken spirit
And somehow Jesus came and brought
To me the victory

Chorus

O victory in Jesus
My Savior forever
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood

He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood

Verse 3

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea

About the angels singing
And the old redemption story
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there
The song of victory

Chorus

O victory in Jesus
My Savior forever
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood

He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood

No Longer Slaves

CCLI Song # 7030123

Brian Johnson | Joel Case | Jonathan David Helser

Verse 1

You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance from my enemies
Till all my fears are gone

Chorus

I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

Verse 2

From my Mother’s womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again into Your family
Your blood flows through my veins

gone

Chorus

I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

Bridge (x2)

You split the sea so I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love
You rescued me so I could stand and sing
I am a child of Godgone

Chorus (x2)

I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

Welcome/Prayer (No Slides) (2nd Sunday of Lent)

• God, on this second Sunday of Lent, we thank you for the witness of faith as seen in the risks of the suffering woman and the sacrifice of the oppressed widow.
• We thank you for the empowerment of faith as we let go of our grasp on control and instead let go and lay it all down exchanging everything for a confidence in trusting you.
• We understand your encouragement to your followers early in holy week and we respond to that same encouragement to us to trust you instead of others or ourselves.
• Lord, today we see forgiveness, your mission of deliverance, your offering of reconciliation.
• Most of all, we marvel that you made the sacrifice we were unable to make, you offer the hope that we cannot create, and you lift us up in a world that easily keeps us down.
• Father, thank you for your love that endures, your love that affirms and accepts, for your love that is the very core of who you are.
• May we allow your love flow through us to a world that needs your love as much as we do.

Amen

Music 2 (6 Slides)

Blessed Assurance

CCLI Song # 22324

Fanny Jane Crosby | Phoebe Palmer Knapp

Verse 1

Blessed assurance Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation purchase of God
Born of His Spirit washed in His blood

Chorus

This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Verse 2

Perfect submission perfect delight
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy whispers of love

Chorus

This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Verse 3

Perfect submission all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Watching and waiting looking above
Filled with His goodness lost in His love

Chorus

This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Scripture

While Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

John 8:1-11

Music 3 (11 Slides)

How He Loves

CCLI Song # 5032549

John Mark McMillan

Verse 1

He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of

These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

Pre-Chorus

Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so

Verse 1

He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of

These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

Pre-Chorus

Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so

Chorus

(Yeah) He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves
(REPEAT)

Verse 2

We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So Heaven meets earth

Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that

Chorus

(Yeah) He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves
(REPEAT)

Pre-Chorus

Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
(REPEAT)

Message –  Graced with a Mistrial (10 Slides) [Slide]

The Lord Jesus had just left a festival where as usual, controversy and arguments and all sorts of opinions about him were spoken by the attendees. Actually, he was almost arrested (John 7: 32-33, 45-47).

Today’s story is itself a controversy:

• Bible scholars still argue if it belongs in the bible.
• Putting all the argument aside, we can see that the story is consistent with what the Lord Jesus preached.

As I read through, I just thought to ask these questions of myself:

[Slide]

• Have you ever been in a situation where the Loving thing to do could result in a violent response towards you?
• What happens when someone’s strength is been taken advantage of?
• In this text, two victims turn the tide on a situation that is known today by many as one of the many sweet descriptions of God’s Grace.

There are definitely many more questions the story of today will drop on our hearts but these few just stood out for me personally.

• [Slide]

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He came back into the temple [court], and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began teaching them. ³ Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court, ⁴ and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?

John 8: 1-5

[Slide Placekeeper]

• Have you ever seen a situation where a judge receives a judgement without one been given?
• The story begs many further questions:
• Where was her partner?
• Why did they find it easier to present a woman to the Lord Jesus as the criminal?
• They even misquoted the book of Leviticus.

[Slide]

Investigating deeper, you might want to think and note some of the following:

• Was this woman lured by a man known by the Pharisees so they could lure another man (The Lord Jesus) they knew very well to commit a NATIONAL offense???
• It’s important to also notice that she was speechless as the whole conversation took place.
• What amount of guilt and fear was she carrying at that moment?. 

[Slide]

If he should confirm the sentence of the law, and let it take its course, they would censure him as inconsistent with himself (he having received publicans and harlots) and with the character of the Messiah, who should be meek, and have salvation, and proclaim a year of release; and perhaps they would accuse him to the Roman governor, for countenancing the Jews in the exercise of a judicial power. But, [2.] If he should acquit her and give his opinion that the sentence should not be executed (as they expected he would), they would represent him, First, As an enemy to the law of Moses, and as one that usurped an authority to correct and control it, and would confirm that prejudice against him which his enemies were so industrious to propagate, that he came to destroy the law and the prophets. Secondly, As a friend to sinners, and, consequently, a favourer of sin; if he should seem to connive at such wickedness, and let it go unpunished, they would represent him as countenancing it, and being a patron of offences, if he was a protector of offenders, than which no reflection could be more invidious upon one that professed the strictness, purity, and business of a prophet.

Matthew Henry’s commentary

[Slide 7]

⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?” ⁶ They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. ⁷ However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Then He stooped down again and started writing on the ground. ⁹ They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court. ¹⁰ Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

John 8:5-11

[Slide 7]

“it’s the Holy Spirits job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to Love”

Billy Graham

Without a doubt, this was a clear case of favoritism, a clear case of humans playing judge by deciding who was to be charged and who was let go. These people had formed a Jury that already had a sentence before the trial even began. She practically stood no chance.

What was he writing when he stooped down? Was he trying to analyze the Law of Moses in his heart? 

[Slide 8]

“If Jesus said something more like, “Let he who has led a perfect, sinless life cast the first stone,” we would probably expect that they’d laugh in his face and ask him where the Law ever gives such a standard.  However, it changes completely when he calls out their status as witnesses.  They know they did not come with pure motives, and they know that’s against the Law and invites punishment itself.  They know that he knows it too, and therefore they cannot risk a trial of words with Jesus here.  Jesus was essentially saying, “If you’re confident in your motives as a witness, enough to risk punishment yourself, then come forward.”  That’s why they slowly leave.”

Daniel Wallace (Dallas Theological Seminary)

[Slide Placekeeper]

The Greek word for “without sin” used here is different from that used for sin.

It was actually only used once in the whole Greek new testament.

Deut 17, 19 and Exodus 23 all give us an in-depth understanding about witnessing in the LAW.

What was it about that phrase that made them disperse?

Those words were definitely inspired by the Holy Spirit.

[Slide 9]

I am not a law expert but according to USLegal, a mistrial is:

• A mistrial is the termination of a trial before its natural conclusion because of a procedural error, statements by a witness, judge or attorney which prejudice a jury, a deadlock by a jury without reaching a verdict after lengthy deliberation (a “hung” jury), or the failure to complete a trial within the time set by the court..
• This seemed more like a mistrial according to this definition
• There prosecutors left the court before any judgement was delivered.

[Slide 10]

• This story highlighted:
  • The beauty of God’s Grace.
  • The power of God’s forgiveness (John 8: 10-11).

She was strengthened to live above her sin by the words of the Lord Jesus which is a character of his forgiveness.

• The need to always seek God’s wisdom in situations that may seem alright on the surface but with many layers of danger within.

In this story, the two victims walked out victorious of a dire situation by the utterance of just one statement. Just one!!!

May God always give us the wisdom to do and say the right thing, but not just the right thing, but to say and do the right thing the correct and WISE way as inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

Music 4 (14 Slides)

Jesus You Alone

CCLI Song # 7120418

Jesse Reeves | John Larson | Nicole McLean

Verse 1

Who is the great King of glory
Seated on high in the heavens
Oh Jesus You alone

You are the Lord God Almighty
Strong in compassion and mercy
Oh Jesus You alone

Pre-Chorus

I’ve searched the world
For a love that could fill my heart
Nothing compares
To the wonder of who You are

Chorus 1

Holy all the earth singing
Holy all the angels cry
Holy Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone

Verse 2

You set the stars in the heavens
You set the world into motion
Oh Jesus You alone

You breathed Your life in creation
You walked among Your created
Oh Jesus You alone

Pre-Chorus

I’ve searched the world
For a love that could fill my heart
Nothing compares
To the wonder of who You are

Chorus 2

Holy all the earth singing
Holy all the angels cry
Holy Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone

Worthy all creation sings
Worthy all the heavens
Exalt Thee Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone 

Jesus You alone

Verse 3

You shed Your blood for salvation
You broke the curse for our freedom
Oh Jesus You alone

You rose from death with the morning
You’ll come again in Your glory
Oh Jesus You alone
Oh Jesus You alone

Chorus 2

Holy all the earth singing
Holy all the angels cry
Holy Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone

Worthy all creation sings
Worthy all the heavens
Exalt Thee Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone 

Jesus You alone

Chorus 3

Holy
I can’t help but sing holy
How my heart cries out holy
Jesus You alone

Worthy
I lift my voice and sing worthy
I bow my life to exalt Thee
Jesus You alone
Jesus You alone

Benediction (6 Slides) (signal to Petty when slides are on screen)

Leader: We have experienced the hurled stones thrown by others.

Response: We have unjustifiably thrown stones.

Leader: We have knelt on the ground to be invisible, to lessen the impact of the pain inflicted.

Response: We have experienced Christ’s notice and deliverance.

Leader: We live amongst a people who cower as the stones are hurled, as the hate is given a voice.

Response: We know the other voice, the voice that lifts us up in love.

Leader: We have been given the task of letting that love flow through us.

Response: To love God and to love all.

Leader: We live a world that needs that love just as we need that love.

Response: We are called to live out that love to all.

Leader: We rejoice in the forgiveness that could only be given by God.

Response: We rejoice in that forgiveness accomplished for all.

Community (7 Slides)

• March/April Bible Studies details – Mondays beg March 21 (w/dinner) at 6 (tent.) or Wednesdays beg March 23 at noon (w/lunch), Exodus, 6 weeks.
• Best Next Update – Masks optional when seated
• Anniversary month luncheon next Sunday, March 20 at Joe’s following worship
• Next Sunday – Truth- Then and Now (Chuck Andrews) (3rd Sunday of lent) 
• Pray Peace. Prayers for Ukraine – donation link at GFNorman.com
• Easter eggs for Afghanistan Refugees available next Sunday
• QR codes/‘Order, Words, Voices’

Peace (3 Slides)

As you leave this place, may the peace of the Lord go with you.

And also with you.

We gather here because of God’s love for us, we go from here because of God’s love for everyone out there. Go in the peace of the Lord.