Call To Worship
(Scripture to set a tone for worshipping the Lord):
For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
-Isaiah 9:6-7
Worship In Song
Fix My Eyes
When my heart is weary, when my soul is weak
When it seems I can’t traverse the trail before me
I survey the glory of your agony
And I find the will to fight for what’s before me
Cause you ran the race enduring for your glory
(CHORUS)
I fix my eyes on you,
The founder and the finisher of our faith
I fix my eyes on you,
The solace in your suffering is my strength
As I fight to follow, you’re my righteous guide
And you train me to delight in all that’s holy
Heal my broken body, cure my crooked stride
Throw off every weight and sin that clings so closely
I will run the race enduring for your glory
(BRIDGE)
You help me breathe, you’re the only life I need
You died for me, you’re the only life I need (repeat)
Oh God
In the valley, Oh God, you’re near
In the quiet, Oh God, you’re near
In the shadow, Oh God, you’re near
At my breaking, Oh God, you’re near
(CHORUS)
Oh God, you never leave my side
Your love will stand firm for all my life
In my searching, Oh God, you’re near
In my wandering, Oh God, you’re near
When I feel alone, Oh God, you’re near
At my lowest, Oh God, you’re near
(BRIDGE)
Height nor depth nor anything else
Could pull us apart
We are joined as one by your blood
Hope will rise as we become more
Than conquerors through
The one who loved the world (repeat)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Yes, this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
The Reading Of God’s Word
John 10:22-39 (Yousef Abdelmagid)
Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25“I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
31Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone him.
32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”
33“We aren’t stoning you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”34Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35If he called those to whom the word of God came ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God? 37If I am not doing my Father’s works, don’t believe me. 38But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.” 39Then they were trying again to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
The Proclamation Of God’s Word
Two Words and Countless Works (Sean Nolan)
Songs Of Response
Rock Of Ages
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in thee
Let the water and the blood
from thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill the law’s commands
Should my passion never fade
And my efforts all be weighed
All for sin could not atone
You must save and you alone
(CHORUS)
Rock of Ages
No one takes your life
Yet you died that I might live
Costly grace you freely give
Rock of Ages
You have paid the price
You were cleft to cover me
Let my hide myself in thee
Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked come to thee for dress
Helpless look to thee for grace
Wretched to the fount I fly
Wash me, Savior, or I die
(BRIDGE)
And while I draw my final breath
I’ll rest upon your grace
And when I close my eyes in death
I’ll wake to see your face (repeat)
Rejoice
Come and stand before your Maker
Full of wonder, full of fear
Come behold His power and glory
Yet with confidence draw near
For the one who holds the heavens
And commands the stars above
Is the God who bends to bless us
With an unrelenting love
(CHORUS)
Rejoice, come and lift your hands and
Raise your voice, He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling, rejoice
We are children of the promise
The beloved of the Lord
Won with everlasting kindness
Bought with sacrificial blood
Bringing reconciliation
To a world that longs to know
The affections of a Father
Who will never let them go
(BRIDGE)
All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us still
Turning tragedy to triumph
Turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle
So take heart and stand amazed
Rejoice, when you cry to Him He hears
Your voice, He will wipe away your tears
Rejoice, in the midst of suffering
He will help you sing…
Worship Through Giving:
Those who call Engage home are encouraged to worship through giving. In order to ensure minimal contact, those giving by cash or check are encouraged to drop in the bucket on the back table (not the garbage bucket) discreetly as they depart. To read more about what we believe about giving or to submit an offering online click HERE.
(also available on Venmo: @EngageAlbany)
Benediction
(A word of closing blessing from Holy Scripture)
As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in Scripture:
See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him
will never be put to shame.
7So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,
The stone that the builders rejected—
this one has become the cornerstone,
8and
A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.
They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
-1 Peter 2:4-10
Additional Resource
Trade Your Cinder Block For The Rock Of Ages
[The above article explores a similar theme using a bunch of various Scriptures discussing the superiority of Jesus over our idols]