Grace Church of Columbia – Grace Gathering
Sunday, July 9th, 2006 10:00 am

Call to Worship
Colossians 1:15-20

Opening Song
Jesus, I Come (Greg Thompson / William Sleeper)

Confession of Sin/Assurance of Pardon
Confession: Reconciliation (Grace Church Confessions)

Leader:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
–Matthew 18:15-18

God’s People:
Father, Your word tells us that, if a brother sins against us, either directly by hurting us or indirectly by harming your church, we should approach him in love. But we have disobeyed you, Lord. Instead of going to him, we have gone to others. Instead of talking to him, we have resorted to gossip. We have not loved our brother. We have rather loved our image, our convenience, and our comfort. We have loved ourselves. We have turned a blind eye to our wayward brother. God, forgive us.

Leader:
“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
–Matthew 5:23-24

God’s People:
Father, Your word tells us that, if a brother perceives that we have sinned against Him, we must stop our worship and seek him out. Whether his concerns are true or false, whether his emotions are wrong or right, you command us to go. But we have disobeyed you, Lord. Instead of making peace, we have continued to go through the motions of worship. We have denied the fact that strife between us, your people, hinders and obscures our view of You. We have loved ourselves. We have turned a deaf ear toward our hurting brother. God, forgive us.

Father, make us a people known for love. Give us the grace to love one another when that love involves great sacrifice. Teach us to deny ourselves. Teach us to love Your church. Grant us a deep love for your gospel that we might apply it to those around us, as well as ourselves. May you be glorified in Your people. May the world honor You because of the love in our midst. Help us imitate You, the one who made peace with us through Christ, as peacemakers. Help us follow You, the one who showed us great mercy in Jesus, in extending mercy. Forgive us, Lord. Help us, Father. In Christ’s name, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Song of Worship
Amazing Love (You are My King) (Billy J. Foote)

Song of Prayer
Give Us Clean Hands (Charlie Hall)

Song of Worship
All Creatures of Our God and King (St. Francis of Assisi, David Crowder)

Scripture Reading
1 John 2:7-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21

Song of Prayer
Jesus, With Thy Church Abide (Thomas Pollock, Christopher Miner)

Offering
Offering Prayer
Receiving the Offering
All Creatures of Our God and King (inst.)

Message
Introduction: Guest Speaker
Reconciliation Through the Gospel of Grace: Matthew 5:21-26

Lord’s Supper
Invitation to the Table of our Lord
I Will Glory in My Redeemer (Steve & Vikki Cook)
Serving the Bread and the Cup
The Bread and the Cup

Community Life
Welcome to Guests
Announcements
Sharing and Praying

Song of Prayer
Be Thou My Vision (Eleanor Hull)

Benediction
Colossians 3:12-15

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