January 25, Ad 2009 Bulletin

EVENING WORSHIP

“And watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil” (I SAMUEL 6:9a).

THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF JANUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND NINE SIX O'CLOCK

Scores of people think they are naturally good (innocent) so they ask the question, „Why do bad things happen to good people?‟ The fatal flaw in the question is its presupposition that people are good (Mk. 10:18). The better question would be, „Why do good things happen to bad people?‟ because no one deserves even the very breath he breathes.

ORDER OF WORSHIP WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Do you think your definition of „good‟ and God‟s definition of „good‟ is the same? God‟s „good‟ is defined in Romans 8:28-30. Being conformed to the image of Christ (the highest good in this world) requires eyes affixed upon Jesus, hearts committed to obeying His word, sacred purifiers purging the world‟s dross from your heart and opportunities for the exercise of trusting steadfast heavenly goodness.

CALL TO WORSHIP EVENING PRAYER *PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS Psalter Selection No. 45 My heart doth overflow; A noble theme I sing. My tongue‟s a skillful writer‟s pen to speak about the King. More fair than sons of men Thy lips with grace o‟erflow, Because His blessing overmore did God on Thee bestow. Thy sword gird on Thy thigh, O Thou supreme in might, and gird Thyself with majesty and with Thy splendor bright. To victory ride forth for meekness, truth, and right; and may Thy right hand teach to Thee the deeds of dreadful might. Thine arrows sharpened are, Men under Thee to bring, to pierce the heart of enemies who fight against the King. Thy royal throne, O God, From everlasting is; A righteous scepter evermore Thy kingdom‟s scepter is. Thou righteousness hast loved and wickedness abhorred; On Thee, „bove all, has God, Thy God, The oil of gladness poured. Through every coming age I‟ll make Thy name to live; The peoples therefore evermore Their praise to Thee shall give.

No. 580: Lead On, O King Eternal

THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S WORD

I SAMUEL 6

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HYMN OF COMMITMENT No. 674: I Need Thee Every Hour

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BENEDICTION

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DOXOLOGY

You are my rock and fortress for Your sake lead and guide. Free me from nets they’ve hidden, my stronghold You abide. I now commit my spirit into Your outstretched hand. I know You have redeemed me, LORD God of truths that stand. Amen. (PSALM31:3-5)

POSTLUDE 

Congregation Standing

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

*Latecomers may be ushered into the Sanctuary.

Prayer Requests

THE LORD’S DAY

God says, “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil” (Prov. 16:4). God cannot do evil and yet He superintends evil in order to bring Himself glory. You discover this principle made clear in the dialogue between Christ and His disciples: “„Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?‟ Jesus answered, „It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him‟” (Jn. 9:2f.). You remember Joseph‟s graced words to his brothers: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:20). Pain is a powerful pulpit forcing the exercise of one‟s true faith. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed -nego became relevant to their culture and affected their society because of their willingness to suffer for their Lord to the extent that the world‟s king bowed to “the Most High God” (Dan. 3:13-4:3). God brings everlasting good out of apparent bad. But is God the cause of evil? God is sovereign and yet He never sins (Js. 1:13-17). God has a perfect will and a permissive will. He certainly permits what He does not commend and He uses instruments without approving of the instrument. Present evil arises from the first evil of Adam and Eve. Natural worldly evils resulted from man‟s sin and the curse upon the earth that followed it is symbolized by the phrase “thorns and thistles” (Gen. 3:18). The proximate causes of evil are:  Man‟s fallenness  Man‟s present choices  A fallen world  Satan The benefits accruing from evil are:  God‟s loving grace is made more evident to both the believing and unbelieving community via the contrast between the darkness and the light  The trials that evil brings result in God:  Chastising His beloved so that they become more holy  Bringing His church back into conformity with His Son  Warning His children  Guiding and punishing those dearest to His soul  Brings God glory (Ezek. 20:9, 14, 22, 33, 39)  Enables you to comfort others (II Cor. 1:3,4)  Purifies and reforms you into Christ‟s image  Leads to greater temporal and eternal rewards

Perhaps someone is never more evil than when he denies his evilness. Christians know from experience that the children of the devil serve him more fully and consistently than the best of saints serve Christ. Unsaved sinners appear more consistent in their wicked walks than saved sinners in their saintly walks. Those refusing to recognize their own sinful hearts are themselves cultural terrorists devastating their land. Their societal engineering is forcing entire communities to careen toward the abyss of God‟s displeasure. Every evil requires a host and the more accommodating the host, the greater the evil. Turn your eyes from the cosmic philosophical matter of evil in the universe to your own heart and life.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO! Sunday Worship times are at Ten-Thirty o’clock and Six o’clock. Sunday School for all ages begins at Nine-Fifteen o’clock. 1824 Barnwell Street | Columbia, South Carolina 29201 803.254.5055 | www.christchurchofthecarolinas.org

“Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, „If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free‟” (JOHN 8:31f).

CHRIST CHURCH OF THE

CAROLINAS

January 25th, A.D. 2009 Ten Thirty o’clock and Six o’clock

“Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews” (JOHN 7:13).

MORNING WORSHIP THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF JANUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND NINE TEN THIRTY O'CLOCK

Societal fear is most debilitating because societal censures affect speaking openly of Christ. Voices become paralyzed by the fear of possible economic or relational reprisals. Nevertheless, what of scripturally assured eternal consequences for not speaking openly of Jesus? Did not Jesus Himself say, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels?” (Mk. 8:38).

ORDER OF WORSHIP WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS PRAY SILENTLY IN PREPARING FOR WORSHIP Holy God, though my ways appear clean in my sight, You weigh my motives and have found me lacking because I have not committed my works to You and I have established my life-plans without You. Though my mind plans my way, You alone must direct my steps. Unless the many plans of my heart are brought before the Council of the Trinity to receive holy counsel, I shall fail. I come into Your hallowed presence seeking Your instruction, knowledge and wisdom that are more desirable than all the jewels the world can offer. Heavenly wisdom dwells in the bosom of prudence, the discretion of self-denial and the fear of the Lord. My pride and arrogance have perverted my judgment. Your promise is that those diligently seeking You shall surely find You. I ask not for Your treasuries, honor, position or glory – I hunger for Your wisdom. Your wisdom established the mountains, settled the oceans, raised the hills and leveled the fields. Your wisdom birthed the heavens, inscribed the boundaries of the earth and marked out the travels of all men. Your wisdom affords rejoicing and delights in its own benefits. Gift me with Your instruction that I may be wise in the matters of this world and eternity. I offer these petitions in the glory of Your name, in the grace of Your Son and in the power of Your Spirit. Amen.

PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP

* PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS (Children ages 3-5 are dismissed for children’s church during the last verse.)

No. 7: From All That Dwell below the Skies No. 164: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing JOHN 7:1-13

OFFERTORY 

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Being quiet about matters that God commands you address is the iron yoke, the holy grail of worldliness. You shall conform with one of two commonwealths: Man‟s fallen world or God‟s pure heaven. God is calling you to thunder throughout all the nations as though you see Him who is invisible. Readiness to speak openly of Christ determines the soul of a people. Never expect the aristocracy or most gilded of a society to give voice to biblical Christianity. When Empress Eudoxia threatened the third century preacher, John Chrysostom, for preaching the gospel, he replied to her emissaries, “Go tell her that I fear nothing but sin.” The Stuarts openly persecuted the English Puritans, yet they never quit the field.

Rivers of human blood are going to flow if Christians continue to refuse to speak openly of Christ. God‟s most severe punishment upon a people to whom He has given so much is to leave them to themselves by withdrawing His counsel, His hand of blessing and protection from them. You must not challenge God to remove His restraining grace from the passions of those around you, for men left to themselves are most furious in their bestial unhindered lusts. An uninformed people devote themselves to their own ruination with cornerstones being torn down and civility being forfeited until their iniquity is complete (Gen. 15:16).

Name

“Jeshurun grew fat and kicked” (Dt. 32:15).

Spouse

HYMN OF COMMITMENT SOLI DEO GLORIA!

BENEDICTION DOXOLOGY

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow; praise Him all creatures below: Alleluia, Alleluia! Praise Him above ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

POSTLUDE 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dr. Niemoller‟s friend, said he fought to the end “for the church to be the church.” He said, “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Address

No. 95: Though Troubles Assail Us 

Early in 1934, Martin Niemoller mounted the pulpit of his church in the Berlin suburb of Dahlem, declaring, “The calm of meditative Christianity is at an end… it is testing time…so that it may be seen what manner of men we are.” In 1937, Dr. Niemoller preached his last sermon during the days of the Third Reich. He was arrested and his trial began on February 7th, 1938, with the outcome already known. A green-uniformed official escorted God‟s servant from his prison cell to the courtroom without ever speaking. Loneliness marked Dr. Niemoller as he was kept in solitary confinement for months. He knew nothing of his family, friends or his church. He was in Dachau seven years until liberated by Allied troops.

Your Bible is the eternal standard for all involvements because “righteousness exalts a nation” (Ps. 14:34). Speaking openly and often of Jesus is the Christian‟s joyful responsibility. The evangel is the heartbeat of those who have come to Christ because from their “innermost being shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn. 7:38).

PRAYER OF ADORATION, INVOCATION AND ILLUMINATION

THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S WORD

Congregation Standing

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Concerto in F, Allergro

*Latecomers may be ushered into the Sanctuary.

This Worship Service is a worship of God, not man. Therefore, the Order of Worship is purposed to bring glory to God, not man. The saints’ participation in the worship service is designed for all praise to go to God, not to preachers, musicians, artists, missionaries, church leaders or children. Decorum concerning dress, instrumentation and presentations will assist in disallowing performances and enhance our awareness of God’s admonition: “Let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner.” We rely upon the Holy Spirit to assist us in establishing an environment that encourages and advances our entry into the transforming presence of the living LORD Jesus Christ.

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