Here is the worship guide for Sunday, December 29, 2024.
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 149:1–5 (ESV)
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
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!
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.
Hymn: “All Glory Be to Christ”
Words: Dustin Kensrue. Music: Traditional Scottish tune (“Auld Lang Syne”).
Should nothing of our efforts stand, no legacy survive;
unless the Lord does raise the house, in vain its builders strive.
To you who boast tomorrow’s gain, tell me what is your life?
A mist that vanishes at dawn, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
His will be done, His kingdom come, on earth as is above;
Who is Himself our daily bread, praise Him the Lord of love.
Let living water satisfy the thirsty without price,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
When on the day the great I Am, the Faithful and the True,
the Lamb who was for sinners slain, is making all things new.
Behold our God shall live with us and be our steadfast light,
and we shall e’er His people be, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
Time of Prayer
Sermon: “Foundations”
Acts 1:1–11 (ESV)
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Hymn: “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”
Words: John W. Work Jr. Music: Spiritual, harmonized by John W. Work III.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Benediction
Hebrews 13:20–21 (ESV)
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.