Engage Your Heart | 12-11-22
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:
- Read through the provided text and/or consider the topic that will be preached on that Sunday.
- 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.
- 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: Did God create us unable to keep his law?
Answer: No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God's law.
Movement Two: We Approach God
Sung Worship:
- Angels We Have Heard on High
- Great Things
- Great is Thy Faithfulness
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 - The Coming Messiah: Predicted // Text: Isaiah 9:1-7
"But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
- Isaiah 9:1-7
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: The First Noel
Spotify Playlist:
More in Mercyview's Rhythms
April 21, 2023
Engage Your Heart | 4-23-23April 7, 2023
Engage Your Heart | Easter 2023March 5, 2023
Engage Your Heart | 3-5-23