Not by Might, but by My Spirit

Sunday School

Pilgrim’s Progress – Part 2
by John Bunyan

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 43

Opening Song

To The Praise of His Glorious Grace (HMA #123)

Verse 1
What astonishing mercy and power
In accord with His pleasure and will
He created each planet each flower
Ev’ry galaxy microbe and hill
He suspended this planet in space
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace

Verse 2
With despicable self-love and rage
We rebelled and fell under the curse
Yet God did not rip out the page
And destroy all who love the perverse
No He chose us to make a new race
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace

Verse 3
Providentially ruling all things
To conform to the end he designed
He mysteriously governs and brings
His eternal wise plans into time
He works out every step every trace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace

Verse 4
Long before the creation began
He foreknew those He’d ransomed in Christ
Long before time’s cold hourglass ran
He ordained the supreme sacrifice
In the cross He removed our disgrace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace
To the praise of His glorious grace

Verse 5
We were blessed in the heavenly realms
Love before being included in Christ
Since we heard the good news overwhelmed
We reach forward to seize Paradise
We shall see Him ourselves face to face
To the praise of His glorious name
To the praise of His glorious name
To the praise of His glorious name

Prayer

Focus this Week: Pastor Jeff

Song

My Life is an Offering

Verse 1
This life is an altar
Where I want to offer
My soul and my mind and strength
Cleansed by Your mercy to live a life worthy
Of the One Who called my name
Chorus
Jesus be glorified
Jesus be magnified
Let me be a pleasing sacrifice
Jesus be glorified
Jesus be magnified
Here at the altar
My life is an offering
Verse 2
How could I not love You
You authored my rescue
Raised me up from death to life
Your Spirit is in me revealing Your glory
Oh what joy as I give my life
Bridge
I choose to lose my life Lord
And find it in You
I choose to lose my life Lord
And find it in You

CCLI Song # 6565620, CCLI License # 108183
Joel Sczebel | Pat Sczebel
© 2013 Sovereign Grace Worship

Offering Song

My Worth is not in What I Own

Verse 1
My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love at the cross
Verse 2
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed at the cross
Chorus
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
Verse 3
As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us at the cross
Verse 4
I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom’s fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ at the cross
Verse 5
Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed my ransom paid at the cross

CCLI Song #108183
Graham Kendrick | Keith Getty | Kristyn Getty
© Getty Music Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

Scripture Reading

Acts 9

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

Preaching the Word

Not by Might, but by My Spirit

Sermon Text: 2 Cor 12:7-10

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Closing Song

Great is Thy Faithfulness (TH #32)

1 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
all I have needed thy hand hath provided –
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. [Refrain]

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain]