Call to Worship
Sunday School
For Justification by Faith Alone
by R.C. Sproul
Sunday Service
Pastoral Reading
Psalm 32
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Opening 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
Prayer
Focus this week: George Mears
Song
It was finished Upon that Cross
Verse 1
How I love the voice of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary
He declares his work is finished He has spoken this hope to me
Though the sun had ceased its shining though the war appeared as lost
Christ had triumphed over evil it was finished upon that Cross
Verse 2
Now the curse it has been broken Jesus paid the price for me
Full the pardon He has offered great the welcome that I receive
Boldly I approach my Father clothed in Jesus’ righteousness
There is no more guilt to carry it was finished upon that Cross
Verse 3
Death was once my great opponent fear once had a hold on me
But the Son who died to save us rose that we would be free indeed
Yes He rose that we would be free indeed free from ev’ry plan of darkness
Free to live and free to love death is dead and Christ is risen
It was finished upon that Cross
Ending
Onward to eternal glory
To my Saviour and my God
I rejoice in Jesus’ victory
It was finished upon that Cross
It was finished upon that Cross
It was finished upon that Cross
CCLI Song # 7171907, CCLI License # 108183
Jonny Robinson | Nigel Hendroff | Rich Thompson
© 2021 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
CityAlight Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)
Offering Song
He Will Hold Me Fast
Verse 1
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast
Chorus
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast
Verse 2
Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His Promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast
Verse 3
For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When He comes at last
Ada Ruth Habershon/Matthew Merke
2013 Getty Music Pulishing/Matthew Merker Music
CCLI 108183
Scripture Reading
Romans 4
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Preaching the Word
Justified by Faith Alone
Galations 1:6-10
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant[a] of Christ.
Closing Song
How Marvelous, How Wise, How Great (CRC #2)
1. How marvelous, how wise, how great,
how infinite to contemplate:
Jehovah’s saving plan.
He saw me in my lost estate,
yet purposed to regenerate
this faithless, fallen man.
2. Foreknown before the world began,
according to his gracious plan,
God destined I must be
conformed to Jesus Christ, the man,
who lived and loved as no man can:
a glorious decree.
3. He bore my sin on Calvary’s tree
and righteousness bestowed on me,
that I might see his face.
God justified me, set me free,
and glorified I soon will be:
how marvelous this grace.
4. What have I now but to embrace
the God who saved me from disgrace
and love him evermore,
and with contentment run my race,
my eyes fixed ever on his face
to praise him and adore.