The Barren Fig Tree (Pt 6)

The ministry of the local church must have the preaching and teaching of God's Word at its center. This will feed and sanctify genuine, fruitful believers in God's vineyard, and it will repel the barren trees.

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

 

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 140

Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah
4 Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to trip up my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to the Lord, You are my God;
give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
7 O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
do not further their[b] evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah
9 As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10 Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
into miry pits, no more to rise!
11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Opening Song

Love Divine All Loves Excelling (TH #529)

1 Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav’n, to earth come down:
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown:
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter ev’ry trembling heart.

2 Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into ev’ry troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest:
take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

3 Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

4 Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be:
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Prayer

Focus This Week:  Bev Christensen

Song

Only A Holy God 

Verse 1
Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness trembles
Only a Holy God

Verse 2
What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendour outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God

Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

Verse 3
What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God

Verse 4
Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father
Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God

Offering/Communion Song

Behold the Lamb (HMA #15)

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us – and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith

Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Torn for you – eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life
Paid the price to make us one.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love
Around the table of the King.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you – drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of grace
Around the table of the King.

And so with thankfulness and faith we rise
To respond, – and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering
We proclaim Christ will come again!
And we’ll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.

The Lords’ Table

Christ Our Righteousness

Scripture Reading

Psalm 80

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15     the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Preaching the Word

The Barren Fig Tree (Pt 6)
Luke 13:6-9

Closing Song

The Works of His Hands

Chorus:
I give thanks to the Lord, Sing Praise to His Name
Declaring His Love in the Morning
For You O Lord, have made me glad
And I sing for joy at the works of Your Hands

Verse 1:
The works of His hands, my heart will praise
In the company of His people
Splendour and majesty are my delight
And His goodness endures forever

Verse 2:
The works of His hands, His wonders declared
Providing for those who fear Him
Gracious and merciful, is our Lord God
Remembering His cov’nant forever

Verse 3:
The works of His hands, are faithful and just
Shown through His pow’r to His people
All of His precepts are worthy of trust
And they are established forever

Verse 4:
The works of His hands, His promise made firm
Redemption sent to His people
Holy, and Awesome, is His Name!
His praises endure forever