Engage Your Heart | 10-2-22

Each week at Mercyview we enter expecting to meet with God together through the finished work of Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit among us. This weekly post is designed to help those who gather with us on Sundays come into the gathering ready to engage in worship through singing, praying, and hearing in meaningful ways. 

We meet at 5p @ Memorial Baptist Church, 2800 S Yale Ave. Our livestream will be available at that time on our website, www.mercyview.com.

Here is how you can engage your heart for worship:

1. Read through the provided text and/or consider the topic that will be preached on that Sunday.
2. Sing, listen or read through the song lyrics that we’ll be singing together and ask the Lord to deepen your understanding of Him through them. Get to know unknown songs or ask for a fresh view of old ones.
3. Pray for the Lord to reveal Himself to you and the gathered church in powerful ways. Pray for those who are serving this week and for the one who is preparing and preaching God’s Word. 

Our worship service is organized into four stages that we call Movements. These movements allow us to focus on specific aspects of worshiping God by giving us context and perspective. 

Movement One: God is God and We are Not

Call to Worship: A time when we look at Scripture and orient our hearts toward God.

Confession of Sin: A time for us to examine our hearts under the light of God's Word and confess our sins to God.

Assurance of Pardon: A reminder that in Christ all our sins are covered, we are forgiven, and we now walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Confessing Our Faith: We read a question and answer from The New City Catechism as a way to help us learn and live out what we believe. 

Question: What does the law of God require?

Answer: Personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves. What God forbids should never be done and what God commands should always be done.

Movement Two: We Approach God

Sung Worship: 

• Eternal King, listen here
• Build My Life, listen here
• Take My Life and Let it Be, listen here

Spotify Playlist

Prayer: In response to our time of sung worship, we want to pause before moving into the ministry of the Word and approach God in prayer.

Movement Three: God Instructs Us 

Ministry of the Word: Sermon Series: Reign of Grace - (watch last week's message here) // Text: Romans 11:25-36

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Movement Four: God Feeds Us  

The Lord's Supper: Each week, following the teaching of God's Word, we come to the table and celebrate the finished work of Christ. We remember his death, rejoice in his resurrection, and in the taking of the elements "taste and see that the Lord is good." 

Sung Worship: Because He Lives, listen here

Spotify Playlist: