Angels: Holy & Unholy

Angels are a very frequent indirect subject in scripture. We say "indirect" because they are servants of the Lord sent out to serve His people. They are not to be worshipped nor exalted, as the Apostle to the Hebrews makes evident. Nevertheless, the subject of angels helping us serves to be a great encouragement to believers.

Call to Worship

Sunday School

Pilgrim’s Progress – Part 2
by John Bunyan

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Opening Song

Because of Your Love

Verse
As we come into Your presence
We remember ev’ry blessing
That You’ve poured out so freely from above
Lifting gratitude and praises
For compassion so amazing
Lord we’ve come to give You thanks
For all You’ve done

Chorus
Because of Your love we’re forgiven
Because of Your love our hearts are clean
We lift You up with songs of freedom
Forever we’re changed because of Your love

CCLI Song # 4662501, CCLI License # 108183
Brenton Brown | Paul Baloche © 2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music, David C Cook))

Prayer

Focus this week:  Noemi Kalath

Song

By Faith

Verse 1
By faith we see the hand of God
In the light of creation’s grand design
In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness
Who walk by faith and not by sight
Verse 2
By faith our fathers roamed the earth
With the pow’r of His promise in their hearts
Of a holy city built by God’s own hand
A place where peace and justice reign
Chorus
We will stand as children of the promise
We will fix our eyes on Him our soul’s reward
Till the race is finished and the work is done
We’ll walk by faith and not by sight
Verse 3
By faith the prophets saw a day
When the longed-for Messiah would appear
With the pow’r to break the chains of sin and death
And rise triumphant from the grave
Verse 4
By faith the church was called to go
In the pow’r of the Spirit to the lost
To deliver captives and to preach good news
In ev’ry corner of the earth
Verse 5
By faith the mountain shall be moved
And the pow’r of the gospel shall prevail
For we know in Christ all things are possible

Keith Getty | Kristyn Getty | Stuart Townend
© 2009 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Getty Music Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
CCLI #108183

Offering Song

God the Uncreated One

Verse 1
God the uncreated One the Author of salvation
Wrote the laws of space and time, and fashioned worlds to His design
The One whom angel hosts revere, hung the stars like chandeliers
Numbered every grain of sand, knows the heart of every man
He is King forever, He is King forever, He is King forevermore
Verse 2
God our fortress and our strength, the Rock on which we can depend
Matchless in His majesty, His power and authority
Unshaken by the schemes of man, never changing Great I am
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, He is faithful through it all
Crown Him King forever, Crown Him King forever, Crown Him King forevermore
Verse 3
Mighty God in mortal flesh, forsaken by a traitor’s kiss
The curse of sin and centuries, did pierce the lowly Prince of Peace
Lifted high the sinless man, crucified the spotless Lamb
Buried by the sons of man, rescued by the Father’s hand
To reign as King forever, reign as King forever, reign as King forevermore
Verse 4
King eternal God of grace, we crown You with the highest praise
Heaven shouts and saints adore, You’re holy holy holy Lord
What joy in everlasting life, all is love and faith is sight
Justice rolls and praises rise, at the name of Jesus Christ
King of kings forever, King of kings forever, King of kings forevermore

CCLI Song # 7057478  CCLI License # 108183
Aaron Keyes | Pete James, © 2016 10000 Fathers (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Common Hymnal Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Getty Music Hymns and Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

Scripture Reading

Genesis 18

And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks[a] of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Preaching the Word

Angels: Holy and Unholy

Closing Song

Benediction (HMA #18)

May the peace of God, our heav’nly Father,
And the grace of Christ, the risen Son,
And the fellowship of God the Spirit
Keep our hearts and minds within His love.
And to Him be praise for His glorious reign;
From the depths of earth to the heights of heaven
We declare the name of the Lamb once slain
Christ eternal, the King of Kings.
May this peace which passes understanding,
And this grace which makes us what we are,
And this fellowship of His communion,
Make us one in spirit and in heart.
And to Him be praise for His glorious reign;
From the depths of earth to the heights of heaven
We declare the name of the Lamb once slain
Christ eternal, the King of Kings.
And to Him be praise for His glorious reign;
From the depths of earth to the heights of heaven
We declare the name of the Lamb once slain
Christ eternal, the King of Kings.
Christ eternal, the King of Kings.