Church guide

Our God is a consuming fire but he has forgiven and accepted us. Hebrews 12:18 (quoting Deut. 4:23-24) and Hebrews 12:2 and 10:12-14, 19-22 and 9:11-14

Our Identity - We are pilgrims but we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Hebrews 12:28 and 13:14 and 11:10, 13-16

Hebrews 12 ends with a specific call to worship. Verse 28 is the outline for our time of corporate singing this week. Each song we will sing points us to a different part of this verse. Take note of the words of this verse from Scripture (in CAPS) and the corresponding lyrics (regular font) we will sing as you prepare your heart: “THEREFORE LET US BE GRATEFUL…” "Creation is brimming with thankfulness, the mountains, exultant they stand; The seasons rejoice in Your faithfulness, all life is sustained by Your hand. You crown every meadow with color; You paint every shade in the sky; Each day the dawn wakes as an encore of magnificent, marvelous, matchless love. How great, how sure; His love endures forevermore. Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." “...FOR RECEIVING A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN…” "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing… ...Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still: His kingdom is forever." “...AND THUS LET US OFFER TO GOD ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP…” "Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness. O praise Him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son; And praise the Spirit, Three in One! O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!" “...WITH REVERENCE…” "Teach us, Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, true humility. Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of Your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Words of power that can never fail; Let their truth prevail over unbelief." “…AND AWE.” "Every bond of sin that held us fast is left in Jesus’ grave. We’ve been freed from all that gripped our past, from Satan’s rule and reign; We’ve been raised to life to breathe His grace as captives now reclaimed. All our guilt is gone, all our strivings ceased, we’re alive to seek His fame. Now to Him who's seated on the throne, all glory be forever. Oh, the depths of wisdom, grace, and power, all glory be forever!"

Following our celebration last week of the resurrection of Christ and continuing in our sermon series in Hebrews 12, our time of corporate worship this week can be divided into three parts: the content of faith, the reward of faith, and the response of faith. As you prepare for this time of worship, take a moment to consider what we will sing together in each of these sections of the service. 1. The content of faith: "Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Oh, sing hallelujah. Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed; Christ is risen, He is risen indeed." "By faith the mountain shall be moved, and the pow'r of the gospel shall prevail, for we know in Christ all things are possible for all who call upon His name." "The soul that is trusting in Jesus as Lord will press on, enduring the darkest of storms. And though even hell should endeavor to shake, He'll never, no never, no never forsake." 2. The reward of faith: "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." "When on that final day, Jesus is mine; Before His radiant face, Jesus is mine. Safe in His arms I’ll cling, praising my Savior King, forevermore I’ll sing: 'Jesus is mine.'" "There is a higher throne than all this world has known, where faithful ones from every tongue will one day come. Before the Son we'll stand, made faultless through the Lamb; Believing hearts find promised grace; Salvation comes." 3. The response of faith: "My heart is filled with thankfulness to Him who reigns above; Whose wisdom is my perfect peace, whose every thought is love. For every day I have on earth is given by the King. So, I will give my life, my all, to love and follow Him."

Easter is a time to celebrate the finished work of Jesus Christ, and we will speak and sing about this finished work in three ways. We speak of it in the past tense recognizing it has been done. We speak of it in the present tense recognizing He is now on the throne. We speak of it in the eternal sense recognizing Christ will reign forever. Before we celebrate together tomorrow, consider these things we will sing or hear sung: "Then, bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me; For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ." "The ground began to shake. The stone was rolled away. His perfect love could not be overcome. Now death where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated!" "He who was dead is now breathing! He who was dead is alive evermore! He who was dead has now broken death's chains! Up from the grave He arose! Up from the grave He arose! He who was dead is alive!" "'It is finished! It is finished!' There is nothing else to say. Shame is silenced, death defeated. Hallelujah, God be praised!" "Who has felt the nails upon His hand, bearing all the guilt of sinful man? God eternal humbled to the grave, Jesus, Savior risen now to reign!" "For my pardon, this I see, the Lamb of God, my victory. Hell defeated by Your love. It is finished; You have won!" "The work is finished, the end is written; Jesus Christ, my living hope." "Love's redeeming work is done. Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won. Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise. Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!"

One final reminder about tonight's Good Friday service at 7:00 pm. Please join us!

Please join us tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm as we remember the finished work of Christ on the cross through singing, Scripture, and Communion.

As we think of Christ on the cross - http://www.racinebible.org/christ-on-the-cross/

This week we will be looking at the command we are given in Hebrews 12:14 to strive for holiness. The sermon will explore this, and we will sing many things about striving for holiness: 1. Striving for holiness isn’t individualistic; it’s corporate. We need help from one another to strive for holiness. "Oh, how good it is on this journey we share, to rejoice with the happy, and weep with those who mourn. For the weak find strength, the afflicted find grace, when we offer the blessing of belonging." 2. Striving for holiness isn’t only internal and personal. It is also the external privilege of sharing our faith with others. "This our holy privilege to declare Your praises and Your name; To every nation, tribe, and tongue, Your church proclaims." 3. Striving for holiness is a serious spiritual war. "O great God of highest heav'n, occupy my lowly heart. Own it all and reign supreme, conquer every rebel pow'r. Let no vice or sin remain that resists Your holy war. You have loved and purchased me, make me Yours forever more." 4. We can only be successful in striving for holiness because Christ, the Holy One, died and now reigns forevermore. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain; Holy, holy is He. Sing a new song to Him who sits on heaven's mercy seat." 5. We can only be successful in striving for holiness through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. "Turn my strivings into works of grace; Breath of God, show Christ in all I do." 6. We can only be successful in striving for holiness if we stay near to the Lord. "I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by; Temptations lose their pow'r when Thou art nigh."

Hebrews 12:10 says that God disciplines us for our good, “that we may share His holiness.” What an amazing statement the author of Hebrews makes! In order for us to better understand what this means for the believer, we must understand His holiness. This is the goal for our time of congregational singing this week: to think on the holiness of God. Consider these things we will sing about the holiness of God as you prepare your heart: 1. We would run from His holiness without His grace: "O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wand'ring heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above." 2. Only the triune God is holy: "Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see. Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee, perfect in power, in love, and purity." 3. God’s holiness demands our worship: "Bless the Lord, o my soul, o my soul; Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, o my soul; I'll worship Your holy name." 4. God cannot be accurately identified apart from His holiness: "God, our Father, full of power, Maker of the heavens, Maker of the world; Forming all things, seen and unseen, truly the Almighty, beyond all measured worth, Holy is His Name." 5. The holiness of God requires complete surrender: "O great God of highest heav'n, occupy my lowly heart. Own it all and reign supreme, conquer every rebel pow'r. Let no vice or sin remain that resists Your holy war. You have loved and purchased me, make me Yours forever more."

We will again be looking at discipline and suffering from Hebrews 12 in our sermon as we gather together for worship this week. Prior to the sermon, we will sing many things concerning endurance through discipline and suffering. Take a moment to think on these truths and the specific words we will sing: 1. We endure because God’s love endures: "How great, how sure; His love endures forevermore. Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." 2. We endure because Christ is our immovable anchor: "Christ the sure and steady anchor in the fury of the storm; When the winds of doubt blow through me and my sails have all been torn. In the suffering, in the sorrow, when my sinking hopes are few, I will hold fast to the anchor, it shall never be removed." 3. We endure because the Lord is our faithful Friend: "Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; in ev’ry change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heav’nly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end." 4. We endure because our Savior won’t let us go: "He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast." 5. We endure because the Father works for our good: "I have called Thee Abba Father, I have stayed my heart on Thee; Storms may howl, and clouds may gather; All must work for good to me." 6. We endure because our Shepherd King reigns eternally: "He'll wipe each tear-stained eye as thirst and hunger die. The Lamb becomes our Shepherd King; We'll reign with Him."

You are not too late to join us! This Wednesday at 6:30 is week two of our Firm Foundations Courses - Marriage, How to Study the Bible, or Biblical Wisdom for Women

Please take a look at this short article and follow the excellent guideline provided. We need your prayers! https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2019/03/can-pray-church/

John Newton's poem, These Inward Trials -- http://www.racinebible.org/john-newtons-poem-inward-trials/

Our sermon text this week (Hebrews 12:4-11) is rooted in love. Though these verses speak of discipline and suffering, the author of Hebrews makes it a point in verse 6 to identify the root as the Lord’s love for His children. As we sing together, we will sing many things pertaining to the love of God. Before we do, take a moment to think on these things we will sing: 1. In love, God has adopted us (Ephesians 1:3-10): "For pure and blameless in His sight He destined us to be, and now we've been adopted through His Son eternally." 2. His love endures and is unlike any other (1 Chronicles 16:34): "How great, how sure; His love endures forevermore. Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." 3. Because of God’s love, we have nothing to fear (1 John 4:18): "Fear not, He is with us; O be not dismayed, For He is our God, our Sustainer and Strength." 4. We cannot know love apart from God’s love (1 John 3:16): "By this we know love: that He laid down His life; God’s very own Son, came from Heaven to die." 5. In love, we receive mercy (Ephesians 2:4): "What love could remember, no wrongs we have done; Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum. Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore; Our sins they are many, His mercy is more." 6. In love, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:3-10): "Spirit of God, conquer our hearts with love that flows from forgiveness. Cause us to yield and return to the mercy of God." 7. Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39): "Highest heights or darkest deep, be there pain or poverty; There is nothing that can keep my Redeemer's love from me." (In case you missed the new song introduced last week, here is the link to the video again- song #2 above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgEn6ftrT-4

This week we introduce a new hymn that joyfully celebrates the love of God. It is called, “Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love,” and each verse highlights different aspects of God’s love. Consider these things before we sing them together: The first verse describes the enormity and eternality of God’s love: "Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love; Too vast and astounding to tell. Forever existing in worlds above, now offered and given to all. Oh, fountain of beauty eternal; The Father, the Spirit, the Son. Sufficient and endlessly generous, magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." The second verse describes how we see God’s love through Him as Creator and Sustainer: "Creation is brimming with thankfulness, the mountains, exultant they stand; The seasons rejoice in Your faithfulness, all life is sustained by Your hand. You crown every meadow with color; You paint every shade in the sky; Each day the dawn wakes as an encore of magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." The third verse describes the love of God in the gospel: "What grace, that You entered our brokenness; You came in the fullness of time. How far we had fallen from righteousness, but not from the mercies of Christ. Your cross is our door to redemption; Your death is our fullness of life. That day, how forgiveness flowed as a flood: magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." The song’s bridge describes the inseparable bond of God’s love: "United in Your resurrection, You lift us to infinite heights; Could anything sever or take us from magnificent, marvelous, matchless love?" The chorus of the song is our joyful response to God’s love: "How great, how sure; His love endures forevermore. Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love." We encourage you to listen to the song here so you know it before we gather together on Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgEn6ftrT-4

As we pointed out last week, Hebrews 12:1-2 calls us to “look to Jesus.” In addition to this, Hebrews 12:3 begins with the words “consider Him.” Take time to prepare to worship with the church family by seeing exactly how we will consider Him: 1. Consider the glory and grace of Jesus: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." 2. Consider the suffering of Jesus: "Man of sorrows, Lamb of God, by His own betrayed. The sin of man and wrath of God has been on Jesus laid. Silent as He stood accused, beaten, mocked, and scorned; Bowing to the Father's will, He took a crown of thorns." 3. Consider the measureless love of Jesus: "Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me." 4. Consider the sufficiency of Jesus: "Hallelujah! All I have is Christ! Hallelujah! Jesus is my life." 5. Consider the lordship of Jesus: "Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout, 'Jesus is the Lord. Jesus is the Lord.' Every eye will see the coming of the King. Jesus is the Lord. Jesus is the Lord." 6. Consider the faithfulness of Jesus: "Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end."

For those of you who missed our 2019 Fort Report video, here it is! See and hear what God was doing in our students as well as the fun that they had. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifbaxFsjOec&t=8s

Hebrews 12:1-2 calls us to look to Jesus, and this is will be the foundation for everything we do as we gather to worship together this week. We will sing of many things that happen when we look to Jesus. Take a moment to think on these: 1. When we look to Jesus, we see the cost of our salvation: "See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?" 2. When we look to Jesus, we see how unworthy we are and how amazing is His love: "And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" 3. When we look to Jesus, we see new mercies every morning: "Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see." 4. When we look to Jesus, He becomes our singular priority: "Be Thou my vision, o Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art." 5. When we look to Jesus, we have hope: "Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet, as the Son of God is stricken; Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet, for the Conqueror has risen! And as the stone is rolled away, and Christ emerges from the grave; This vict'ry march continues till the day ev'ry eye and heart shall see Him."

This is fantastic! it is makes something that can be scary and difficult much more simple and doable. son't miss this on Evangelistic Conversation -- http://gotherefor.com/offer.php?intid=29879&changestore=true

This past Sunday, RBC celebrated God's faithfulness and provision through the paying off of our mortgage. Watch as members of the church recount God's goodness and praise His holy name!