Preparing for Sunday, 8/21/11

It's good to be home. Jenny and I took the kids on vacation to New Hampshire to visit Jenny's family, and I had the chance to fly down for a few days to the Worship God Conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was a pretty awesome time. Stay tuned for a post reflecting on the conference!

This Sunday, Pastor John will preach from John 17:1-5, the beginning of a 3 week series through Jesus' high Priestly prayer. This will also wrap up our summer preaching series on "Jesus' School of Prayer." This week, John will focus in on the glory of Christ, and his prayer for the Father to glorify Himself through the shed blood of Jesus. And to restore Christ's own glory, that He had before when He was with the Father. Good theology coming this Sunday!

Our songs will focus in on the redeeming work of Jesus, and the glory and surpassing value of knowing Him. Here they are:

1. Forever
2. The Glories of Calvary
3. The Wonderful Cross
4. Before the Throne of God Above
5. My Jesus, I Love Thee (1st Verse)

I want to highlight "Before the Throne of God Above" really quick. We've sung this before in our church, but this song is so rich we need to meditate on the lyrics. If you spend some time soaking in the lyrics to this song, you will have some food for serious joy in Christ, and serious ammunition against your sin, and against the Devil.

I especially love the 2nd verse, that says "When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within/Upward I look and see Him there, Who made an end of all my sin!" By knowing the Gospel well, and knowing what it really means to be born-again and rooted in Jesus, we have the cure for a thousand sorrows. Jesus has completely paid for our sin; it is finished, and we have no more guilt or judgment to bear.

Here are all the lyrics to "Before the Throne:"

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!