Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell
Welcome

Prayer

Psalm 40:1 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. 5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. 6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. 7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come– it is written about me in the scroll. 8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. 10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. 11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. 12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. 13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. 14 May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. 15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame. 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!” 17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

Message: Psalm 40: “Our God of Hope” by Jeremy Woods   

There are two major movements within this psalm, and in each movement we are called to praise and worship God for who he is and what he does. In the first movement, David roots his praise of God in the fact God has been merciful in the past, both to David and in many other ways (creation, Exodus, etc). The Lord has been merciful to us before too. And when he does show his mercy and we are able to see his goodness, this should inspire us to worship God and to proclaim him.

The second movement deals with a present situation which David is facing. We do not know the exact situation, but he is clearly in great danger. We all find ourselves in situations which is seems is too much for us. But we can look back and think to the goodness of God and in his mercy and love, and we can have confidence that he is not far from us when we call to him. Even in the midst of trials, we can rejoice and be glad, and we can praise the Lord for who he is, what he has done, and what he continues to do.

The greatest example of God’s action in his redemptive purpose was the Incarnation. God made all that was good, including man, but man fell from his grace through sin. Man was thus separate from God and could not, on his own merit, reconcile with him. Jesus Christ came to be that reconciler, and lived a perfect sinless life and for our sake was crucified to make us free. That was an action of the past, and we can have life in Christ if we put our hope in him. This is great hope for the future: Christ has conquered, and he will once again make all things right!

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell
Welcome
Worship in Song with Nathan, Adam, and Mary Clayton

Come Now Is The Time To Worship 
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Blessed Be Your Name

Scripture Reading— Psalm 34 Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. (ESV) 
1 I will bless the LORD at all times;  his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;  let the humble hear and be glad.  3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.  6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.  7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

 8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,  for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

 11 Come, O children, listen to me;  I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.  14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

 15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears  and delivers them out of all their troubles.   18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted  and saves the crushed in spirit.

 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.   21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;  none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Message by Nathan Clayton—“Give Thanks: Our God Protects and Cares!”
When we are thankful to God ,we demonstrate our allegiance to God.
This psalm shows us that we will demonstrate our allegiance to God when we:

1. Express a fresh praise (vv. 1-3)
2. Engage in a focused pursuit (vv. 4-7)
3. Enjoy a freeing perspective (vv. 8-14)
4. Embrace a faithful protection (vv.15-22)

Response

Amazing grace
Give me Jesus

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome–Barbara Shafer

Worship in Song with Desmond Herbert

Come Now Is The Time To Worship  ( Brian Doerksen)

*****

Nehemiah 9: 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God. 4 Standing on the stairs were the Levites– Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani– who called with loud voices to the LORD their God. 5 And the Levites– Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah– said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

You are the One (Lincoln Brewster)

 *****

Special Music—Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days)—

Written by Jamie O’Hara; recorded in 1986 and performed at Ravinia (2011) by The Judds

*****

Message:  UNFAILING, by Barbara Shafer

Psalm 33:1 “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.   4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.   5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.   6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.   12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth– 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.   18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.   20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. ”

It’s almost like the curtains of reality have whooshed open and we see things as they really are.  On one side of the stage are all the earthly hopes of Grandpa’s nostalgia—people who you hope won’t let you down, but they do anyway…and on the other side, the heavenly hope we have in God who is UNFAILING.  In Psalm 33, we see the psalmist building a case for praising our God who is UNFAILING by showing us four basic ways in which God is UNFAILING:

1. God is UNFAILING because of His WORD
2. God is UNFAILING because of His WORKS
3. God is UNFAILING because of His WILL
4. God is UNFAILING because of His WATCHFULNESS

We can place our hope in God’s unfailing love as demonstrated in His Word, His works, His will, and His watchfulness.  Such a God is worthy of our praise!

Song of Response:  Unfailing Love (Chris Tomlin)

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday January 8, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Worship in Song with Doug Fox and Nathan Clayton

Message by Nathan Clayton

NIV Psalm 31:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends– those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. 23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday January 1, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Worship in Song with Desmond Herbert

Message by Barbara Shafer: “Our God of Hope-A Journey through the Psalms”

Hope is only as good as what we’re placing our hope in.

Psalm 25 outlines 5 good reasons to place our hope in God.  We can ground our hope in God because:

1. God shields us from shame
2. God guides us in truth
3. God reminds us of His mercy and love
4. God reminds us that He forgives sin [through our Savior Jesus Christ]
5. God is trustworthy and this hope is secure because of His character

 As we turn the calendar to 2012, where will you place your hope?

Psalm 25

1 Of David. To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. 4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!