WORSHIP
At Calvary Restoration we aim to have a Christ-centered, gospel-saturated worship service. One of the ways we implement that is by telling the story of God’s mercy through song and Scripture. The story begins with God (Adoration). Immediately in the presence of God’s glory we recognize our sin (Confession). God in turn meets our humility with grace (Assurance). The only appropriate response to this good news is giving thanks through words and actions (Thanksgiving).
Isaiah 6 illustrates this journey for us. Adoration. Isaiah 6:1-3 “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne … (and the seraphim) called to one another and said: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.” Confession. Verses 4-5, “And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.’” Assurance of Grace. Verses 6-7, “And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” Thanksgiving. Verse 8, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”
Next week we will look more in depth at Adoration.
Call to Worship - Psalm 103:1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Adoration
Song - 10,000 Reasons
Confession
Song - I Need Thee Every Hour
Assurance of Grace - Psalm 103:2-5
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Thanksgiving
Song - His Mercy Is More
SERMON
How does the church strive together as one body? How do we work together when we have different expectations, different legacies, and different mentors? - 1st Corinthians speaks to a church divided: groups fighting over which leader is best ("one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos"...). The apostle Paul reminds believers that we are merely servants of God, and God is the one who makes it grow! "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Cor 3:6). This is a beautiful passage to examine as Calvary Restoration and The Crossing Church lock arms to serve as one, united church; living out our vision to make Jesus non-ignorable in Aurora!
Scripture - 1 Corinthians 3:1-15 (ESV)
The Church and Its Leaders
3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
QUESTIONS:
1. What characterizes the immature, "fleshly" attitude? What is the mature, "spiritual" view of things?
3. Look at the conflict described in v.1-4. How would it feel to be part of this church? What can we do to avoid this kind of division?
4. How many metaphors does Paul use throughout this passage? What do they communicate?
5. Read through v.10-15. How do we practically live this out today?
BENEDICTION
Song - We Exalt Thee
1. My first thought is the first one says, "how can i puff up myself" but the later one says, "how can i puff up God?"
2. I think it would be so stressful and unfulfilling to be a part of a church like this. Always anxious in my heart i imagine. I think the best way to avoid this kind of church is to live as best we can with grace and forgiveness. To be humble and always seek to put others above ourselves.