EMMAUS CITY LITURGY – CELEBRATING JESUS AND BEING PART OF HIS STORY
For previous special Sunday liturgies, click on the links below:
- Sunday, March 23, 2014 – Person of Peace
- Sunday, April 20, 2014 – Jesus Comes to Us (Easter Sunday)
- Sunday, May 11, 2014 – Prayer and Praise 1 of 2
- Sunday, May 25, 2014 – Devotion is Abiding: A Constant Returning and Remaining
- Sunday, June 1, 2014 – Prayer and Praise 2 of 2
This posts will feature
the themes, verses, sermon notes, and hymns and songs (audio and
lyrics) we enjoyed together during this Sabbath gathering.
Curious to know more? Want to spend some time with us? Don't hesitate. Contact us and come join us. In the meantime, enjoy the readings and listening to the songs below.
WORSHIP THROUGH THANKSGIVING, PRAYER, AND SONG
Sharing Moments of Celebration
“The opposite of a slave is not a
free man. It’s a worshiper.
The one who is most free is the one who turns the work of his hands into sacrament, into offering. All he makes and all he does are gifts from God, through God, and to God.” – Mark Buchanan
The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath The one who is most free is the one who turns the work of his hands into sacrament, into offering. All he makes and all he does are gifts from God, through God, and to God.” – Mark Buchanan
Welcome and The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.
May Your Kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the
food we need,
And forgive us our
sins as we have forgiven
those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
But rescue us from
evil.
(For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.)
Doxology
Page CXVI (original by Thomas Ken)
(For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.)
Doxology
Page CXVI (original by Thomas Ken)
1551 A.D.
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!
Glory to Thee, my God, this night
For all the blessing of the light!
Keep me, O keep me, King of Kings
Under the shadow of Thy wings!
Lord, let my soul forever share
The bliss of Thy paternal care!
'Tis heaven on earth, 'tis heaven above
To see Thy face and sing Thy love!
Amen, amen.
WORSHIP THROUGH HEARING, LISTENING, AND DISCUSSING
Out of Egypt: The Exodus Story
Deacon Joe Paravisini
Notes
1 Corinthians 10:1-6
The nation of Israel and their Exodus Story are an example for us. To this day, their history continues to tell the good news that God is King to the entire world.
The themes of the Exodus Story are:
(1) Slavery – Exodus 2:23-25; 6:5, 9; 13:14; 20:2
(2) Redemption – Exodus 6:6-7; 15:13
(3) Sojourn – Exodus 6:4; 22:21-23; 23:9
23:9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt."
1 Corinthians 10:1-6
The nation of Israel and their Exodus Story are an example for us. To this day, their history continues to tell the good news that God is King to the entire world.
The themes of the Exodus Story are:
(1) Slavery – Exodus 2:23-25; 6:5, 9; 13:14; 20:2
2:23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
6:5 I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered My covenant.
6:9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
13:14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, "By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. ... "
20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ... "
Because of our human nature, we are all born into the slavery of sin. And we all groan, unconsciously or consciously, like the Israelites for our freedom. We work to free ourselves through business, science, medicine, technology, etc., but none of them can free us from ourselves. We need Someone else to set us free.
- What causes you to groan today?
- Where do you often look for escape that instead enslaves?
- How can you learn to trust that God hears you and remembers His promises for you?
(2) Redemption – Exodus 6:6-7; 15:13
6:6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, "I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.
7 I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ... "
7 I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ... "
15:13 “You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode. ... "
Yahweh’s main purpose in sending Moses into Egypt was to lead His
people out of slavery in order to redeem them and make them into a light among the nations in the land He promised them. But why did He not quickly overcome
Pharaoh and lead the people out of slavery? Why is it that He brought the ten plagues in order to bring their freedom?
God brought the ten plagues in order to demonstrate His power over all the gods of the most powerful nation in the world. We hear this from Himself when He says, “ ... on
all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment” (Exodus 12:12). He also declares in Numbers 33:4 that the plagues were an attack on the gods of Egypt.
- Plague One: The Sacred Nile River Turned to Blood (7:14-24): the Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt; no other country in ancient or modern times that has been so dependent on its waterways as ancient Egypt in relation to agriculture, trade, commerce, and travel
- Plague Two: Frogs in the Land (7:25-8:15): To the Egyptian the frog represented fruitfulness, blessing and the assurance of a harvest
- Plague Three: Dust and Gnats (8:16-19): Egyptians gave offerings to Geb for the bounty of the soil, yet it was from “the dust of the soil” that this plague originated
- Plague Four: Flies in the Royal Palace (8:20-32): It is known that the fly, in Egyptian mythology, gave protection against disease or misfortune
- Plague Five: Death of Domestic Animals (9:1-7): Egyptians worshiped and deified almost all animals in Egypt, so this plague would be an attack against many of the gods (i.e. a large number of bulls and cows were considered sacred); yet it may also be more directed against the bull since Pharaoh changed his mind in allowing Israel to go and sacrifice
- Plague Six: Ashes, Dust and Boils (9:8-12): Yahweh now takes the ash from the Israelites work and causes it to become suffering to the Egyptians; this plague attacked Sekhmet, a lion-headed goddess, had the power of both creating epidemics and bringing them to an end and Serapis was the god of healing, and Imhotep was the god of medicine and the guardian of the healing sciences, and like the plague of the gnats and flies, this plague would also affect the purity of the priests and hinder them from entering their temples and praying to their gods
- Plague Seven: Hail and Fire (9:13-35): Since this plague originated from the sky, it would have been an attack against Nut, the sky goddess, the mother of five other gods: Osiris, Hathor, Set, Isis, and Nephthys
- Plague Eight: Locusts from the East (10:1-20): There were many gods associated with the crops of Egypt, for the crops and the Nile were the source for all life in the country. There was Nepri, the god of grain; Ermutet, the goddess of childbirth and crops; Thermuthis, the goddess of fertility and the harvest; and Seth, another god of crops; in ancient times, locusts could destroy an entire village’s food supply in a matter of minutes
- Plague Nine: Darkness in the Land (10:21-29): Amon-Ra (Amun-Re) was the chief deity of Egypt and the sun god who was part of very important triad of deities including his wife Mut – the divine mother, queen of all gods, and a bisexual represented by the body of a woman and the head of a vulture – and their son Khons, the god of the moon; the sun god Ra was considered to be a great blessing to the land for his faithfulness in providing the warmth and light of the sun each day without fail
- Plague Ten: Death of the Firstborn (12:29-42): This final plague was directed against “all of the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12) and would show the total inability of the gods of Egypt to protect their subjects in the face of unparalleled tragedy
Yahweh demonstrated His power in order to show that He is the only
true God and the only One who can give people ultimate value and security. The Egyptian gods were revealed to be impotent in helping the land and the people that worshiped them while the
plagues demonstrated that God is not limited in demonstrating His power to a specific people or area on earth. He rules over all of creation, and yet He displayed His sovereignty ultimately in His mercy to set free the enslaved Israelites and adopt them as His people.
- In what areas of life do you look for your worth?
- What "gods" in your life have given you value for a season, but then let you down?
- What area in your life needs redemption today? Do you trust that Almighty God can make it happen?
(3) Sojourn – Exodus 6:4; 22:21-23; 23:9
6:4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.
22:21 “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry ... "
22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry ... "
- Where is your focus today – on your desires or God's purposes for your life?
- How do you experience peace when things go slow or don't go according to your plan? What are the foundations/promises/covenants you return to?
- How do you remember God's patience with you in order to be patient with others in the midst of the journey?
The themes of slavery, redemption, and sojourn in the narrative of the Exodus are ultimately the themes of the Christian as well.
God has powerfully:
- brought us from slavery to our selfish desires and demands into freedom to serve others,
- redeemed us from death due for our sins and idolatry to new life to live for the only One who can give us everlasting life,
- and walks with us as we sojourn in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and cities – looking to bless potential sojourners among us – until we reach the fulfillment of His promise when His kingdom comes to earth and we dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
How do we ultimately see what Jesus has done for us in light of the Exodus Story?
There is a true and better Passover Lamb who shed His blood for our sake so that death would pass over us and new life would be ahead of us.
There is a true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a New Covenant that reminds us of our redemption and freedom from slavery to live in His ways so we can be a light to the nations.
There is a true and better Rock of Moses who was struck with the rod of God's justice and now gives us water in the desert of our sojourn.
WORSHIP THROUGH CONFESSION, COMMUNION AND
REJOICING
2010 A.D.
I’m so forgetful, but You always remind me:
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
You’re the only one who brings me peace.
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
You’re the only one who brings me peace.
So I come, Lord I come.
I come, Lord I come
To tell you I love You,
To tell you I need You,
To tell you there’s no better place for me
Than in Your arms.
To tell you I’m sorry
For running in circles
For placing my focus on the waves,
For running in circles
For placing my focus on the waves,
Not on Your face.
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
In the storm.
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
You’re the only one who brings me peace,
In the storm.
Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of earth’s sorrows, into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair, into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
God is my shepherd,
I won't be wanting, I won't be wanting.
He makes me rest
In fields of green
With quite streams.
Even though I walk
Through the valley
Of death and dying,
I will not fear
'Cause You are with me
You're always with me.
Your shepherd staff
Comforts me.
You are my feast
In the presence of enemy.
Surely goodness
Will follow me, follow me
In the house of God, forever.
I won't be wanting, I won't be wanting.
He makes me rest
In fields of green
With quite streams.
Even though I walk
Through the valley
Of death and dying,
I will not fear
'Cause You are with me
You're always with me.
Your shepherd staff
Comforts me.
You are my feast
In the presence of enemy.
Surely goodness
Will follow me, follow me
In the house of God, forever.
2001 A.D.
I'm trading my sorrows,
I'm trading my shame,
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord!
I'm trading my sickness,
I'm trading my pain,
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord!
(And we say) Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord!
Yes, yes, Lord!
Amen!
I'm pressed, but not crushed,
persecuted, not abandoned,
Struck down, but not destroyed!
I'm blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure
And His joy's
Going to be my strength!
Though sorrow may last for the night,
His joy comes with the morning!
I'm trading my sorrows,
I'm trading my shame,
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord!
I'm trading my sickness,
I'm trading my pain,
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord!
(And we say) Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord!
Yes, yes, Lord!
Amen!
I'm pressed, but not crushed,
persecuted, not abandoned,
Struck down, but not destroyed!
I'm blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure
And His joy's
Going to be my strength!
Though sorrow may last for the night,
His joy comes with the morning!
WORSHIP THROUGH SENDING
H Catechism Q&A 1
1563 A.D.
Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
Prayer of Mission
H Catechism Q&A 1
1563 A.D.
Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
Prayer of Mission
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
– Sully
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