Here is the worship guide for Sunday, November 30, 2025.
PDF version of the worship guide to download or print.
The livestream will begin at 10:30 a.m. on our Facebook page or YouTube page.
Welcome and Announcements
Opening Prayer
Call to Worship
Psalm 130:7–8 (ESV)
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
Hymn: “He Leadeth Me! O Blessed Thought”
Words: Joseph H. Gilmore. Music: William B. Bradbury.
He leadeth me! O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, wher’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me!
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
by His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
for by His hand He leadeth me.
Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,
by waters still, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis His hand that leadeth me!
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
by His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
for by His hand He leadeth me.
Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis Thy hand that leadeth me!
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
by His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
for by His hand He leadeth me.
And when my task on earth is done,
when, by Thy grace, the victor’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me!
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
by His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
for by His hand He leadeth me.
Song: “Yet Not I but through Christ in Me”
Words and music by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, and Michael Farren
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer.
There is no more for heaven now to give.
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom,
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus.
For my life is wholly bound to His.
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
The night is dark, but I am not forsaken.
For by my side, the Savior, He will stay.
I labor on in weakness and rejoicing,
For in my need, His power is displayed.
To this I hold: my Shepherd will defend me.
Through the deepest valley He will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven,
The future sure, the price it has been paid.
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon,
And He was raised to overthrow the grave.
To this I hold: my sin has been defeated.
Jesus now and ever is my plea.
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
With every breath I long to follow Jesus.
For He has said that He will bring me home.
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus.
All the glory evermore to Him.
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
Advent Reading and Candle Lighting
Jeremiah 23:5–6 (ESV)
5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
Titus 2:11–14 (ESV)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Hymn: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
Words by Charles Wesley (verses 1, 4) and Mark Hunt (verses 2 and 3)
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth Thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
Joy to those who long to see Thee,
Dayspring from on high, appear;
come, Thou promised Rod of Jesse,
of Thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing news,
glad tidings of a birth:
“Go to him, your praises bringing;
Christ the Lord has come to earth.”
Come to earth to taste our sadness,
he whose glories knew no end;
by his life he brings us gladness,
our Redemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number,
born within a cattle stall;
this the everlasting wonder,
Christ was born the Lord of all.
Born Thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by Thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Sermon: “The Commandment of God and the Tradition of Men”
Mark 7:1–13 (ESV)
1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Hymn: “Not in Me”
Word and music: Eric Schumacher and David L. Ward.
No list of sins I have not done, no list of virtues I pursue,
no list of those I am not like, can earn myself a place with You.
O God! Be merciful to me; I am a sinner through and through.
My only hope of righteousness is not in me, but only You.
No humble dress, no fervent prayer, no lifted hands, no tearful song,
no recitation of the truth can justify a single wrong.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life; my debt was paid by Jesus’ death.
My weary load was borne by Him and He alone can give me rest.
No separation from the world, no work I do, no gift I give,
can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands; I cannot cause my soul to live.
But Jesus died and rose again; the pow’r of death is overthrown!
My God is merciful to me and merciful in Christ alone.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life; my debt was paid by Jesus’ death.
My weary load was borne by Him and He alone can give me rest.
Benediction
Romans 15:13 (ESV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.