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Worship

Cornerstone Worship

Opening Worship

Closing Worship

July 4, 2020

Behold Our God

Blessed Be Your Name

June 7, 2020 • Matthew Wynthein

Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery

May 24, 2020

God You Reign

May 24, 2020

Forever

May 24, 2020

Christ Our Hope In Life And Death

May 17, 2020

The Gospel Was Promised

May 17, 2020

I Will Glory In My Redeemer

May 17, 2020

Because He Lives

April 12, 2020 • Matthew & Laura Wynthein

Hebrews 7:25 "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." 1 Corinthians 15:14–19 "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." Romans 4:25 "who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Romans 5:8 "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Hebrews 10:14 "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." Devotional We have crosses on our steeples, crosses on our necklaces and on our clothing, and crosses in our logos and artwork. What Jesus has accomplished for us in his sacrificial death at the cross is so amazing, so remarkable, so world-changing, that it’s easy to understand why we have made this emblem so prominent in the church. But with such a fitting emphasis on this spectacular event at Calvary, it can be easy to overlook other equally important events. One regular casualty is Jesus’s resurrection. We have Easter set aside for that, but during the rest of the year, it can be easy to innocently play down the empty tomb, or at least miss this essential truth: not only did Jesus once live and die and rise, but today he lives. For the Christian, just as important as Jesus’s bloody cross is his empty tomb. Because it means he lives. My Savior Lives The apostle Paul doesn’t leave any doubt about the importance of the resurrection when he writes in 1 Corinthians 15, If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. . . . If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. . . . If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:14–19) That Jesus died means that in him our sin and unrighteousness has received its just punishment. That he lives means that we have in him the righteousness God requires. That he died means we have forgiveness. That he lives means we have righteousness. He “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). That Jesus died means he has offered up, as our great high priest, his great sacrifice on our behalf. “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). That he lives means he now unceasingly intercedes for us at his Father’s right hand. “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Our Living, Loving Lord That Jesus died means he has demonstrated climactically in history his love for his church. As the apostle Paul says, he “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20), because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That he lives means that not only has he shown his love for us in the past, but that he loves us today. As surely as he lives, he loves us. That Jesus lives means that our best days are not behind us, but ahead; that our great hope is not some mere hero of the past, but the living Lord of the universe; that our faith is not dead, but unites us to an active Savior, Treasure, and Friend. It is an infinitely precious thing to say not just that Jesus died, but that he lives. David Mathis @davidcmathis David Mathis is executive editor for http://desiringgod.org and pastor at Cities Church in Minneapolis.  He is a husband, father of four, and author of Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines.

Is He Worthy?

April 12, 2020 • Matthew & Laura Wynthein

Matthew 24:12 "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." Matthew 24:37-39 "For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." Revelation 5:1-5 "Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." Genesis 3:15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." Genesis 22:18 "and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." Genesis 49:8-10 "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Isaiah 9:6-7 "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." Devotional It is strange to read the words of previous generations and find their deep lamentations over the mounting darkness of sin and rebellion in society of their day. The world, of course, is always opposed to God and His ways in every hour of history. Scripture assures us of this. Yet surely when we consider centuries past, they seem like much simpler times, filled with hard work and staunch limitations in the absence of technology. In the late 1800’s the greatest distraction was a book and the greatest trapping of entertainment was a play at the theatre. Depravity is not bound to an era and men have always been sinful but compared to the 21st century these were much more wholesome days. The advent of digital technology and the internet have opened a conduit for iniquity to be expressed in unprecedented ways. Globalization has broken down ancient barriers and boundaries. Before our eyes a new Babel emerges from the ashes of two world wars that showed us all what lurks in the soul of man, particularly when power is at his fingertips. Indeed, the shadows deepen. Light ever pierces the darkness, but we are naïve to imagine these trends somehow slowing. Jesus actually promises that prior to His coming, lawlessness will abound, and the earth will return to a condition resembling the violent corruption of the days of Noah (Matthew 24:12, 37-39). Thus, it is more than fitting that we look with an urgent gaze at the hope set forth in this hymn. Biblical worship is vertically oriented, adoring the unchanging glory of who God is. Yet it is also forward-looking. It is prophetic. The Psalms are replete with promises on the distant horizon that we are commanded to cherish through song. The main fixture of this hope that is focused on in the chorus is drawn from the fifth chapter of Revelation: “And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” - Rev. 5:1-5 We never need to improve upon biblical language, but in order to draw out the meaning of these words, let’s pose the question differently: Who is able to purge wickedness from the earth with perfect justice and reign over the nations in righteousness forever? This is what is being asked through the breaking of the seals and the possession of the scroll. John weeps at the apparent hopelessness of ever finding someone who could be capable of this. On the most general level, who could possibly abolish wickedness from the earth if they themselves were infected by it? Thus, one must be holy and blameless – free from all sin. Yet they must also be able to search the hearts and the thoughts of all men, for how could they truly discern justice apart from such knowledge? And then they must possess power great enough to reign to the very ends of the earth, but must be endowed with wisdom sufficient to govern all of its peoples with equity, benevolence, and care? Whether we reach back into the annals of history and its emperors or merely consider the despots that arose in the 20th century, every case demonstrates that it is a terrifying prospect when authority is consolidated and unchecked in one man. John did not need to live to see Hitler or Stalin. Nero in Rome and Herod’s depraved family line in Judea were enough for the beloved disciple to know this truth all too well. Yet the problem was that John knew his ‘Bible’ – the Old Testament – and he understood that what was promised was not a democracy. There would a descendant of Eve, a specific seed of Abraham, who would arise from the tribe of Judah and emerge from the house of David who would have all of the nations as his inheritance. The Messiah of Israel would be the king of the entire earth, and the vehicle of blessing to all of its peoples. His throne and kingdom would never end and have no borders. His authority would be absolute and all-encompassing. And it would be the best thing that ever happened to the world. For this king would use his unbridled power for the good of others and rule in perfect righteousness, judging with equity for the poor and the needy and delivering humanity from oppression and fear. (see Genesis 3:15, 22:18, 49:8-10; Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-10; Psalm 2, 72; Daniel 2:44, 7:13-14, Galatians 3:16) David’s lineage did include men like Hezekiah and Josiah, but their integrity was far outweighed by the idolatry and immorality of the kings that came before them and took their place after them. At last the throne in Jerusalem was left abandoned, the people were exiled, and David’s noble house fell into ruin. Generation after generation passed with the prophetic hope burning like a solitary lamp surrounded by vast darkness. And then, perhaps when no one could have ever expected it, an angel stood in the home of a young woman in Nazareth bearing glad tidings: "The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” - Luke 1:33-35 Out of what looked like a dead stump of Jesse’s family, a branch of David suddenly sprang forth (Isaiah 11:1, 53:2). The Son of David, the Seed of Abraham, had come at last. He was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4-5). The grave had no hold on Him because there was no sin found in Him (Acts 2:24-28). There was finally One who overcame, and we need weep no longer. No matter the depths of darkness that the earth descends into, we take courage and have strong consolation, for we know that the nations belong to Jesus and He will come again for His inheritance. There will dawn that great Day of God when the trumpet sounds and everything in the heavens and the earth declares that He alone is worthy, and that the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ! (Revelation 11:15) In this we hope, and of this we will sing, until we see His face and the darkness flees away. Stephen Venable @stephenvenable Stephen serves on the executive team of the Antioch Center for Training and Sending (ACTS), a missions organization that trains and sends young pioneering leaders committed to extravagant worship and making disciples among unreached people groups in the 10/40 window. His passion is to see the knowledge of the glory of Jesus fill the earth through frontier missions. Stephen and Karli, and their two little boys, live in Colorado Springs.

Christ is Mine Forevermore

April 12, 2020 • Matthew & Laura Wynthein

Philippians 3:7-11 "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 1:3-5 "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." 1 Peter 2:11-12 "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." 2 Corinthians 7:1 "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." Revelation 21:1-3 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." 1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," Romans 8:21 "that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." 2 Corinthians 6:17 "Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you," You were made — designed and wired in the deepest parts of you — to walk with God. When he formed Adam from the dust, and Eve from his rib, he walked among them (Genesis 3:8), and his presence was the sweetest fragrance in all the garden. Until sin broke in, ruined their communion, and spoiled any hope for the happiness they had known. Devotional That sin still plagues us, all these centuries later. Any frustration, heartache, or longing we experience in life is rooted, in some way, in that great disruption, when mankind was ripped away from walking with God. And if we never got to walk with God, we would never experience what it means to be fully human. God gave us legs so that we might walk with him, a mind so that we might know him, a mouth so that we might praise him and talk to him, and a heart so that we might love him and feel loved by him.  And then, when sin had separated us from that love, he sent his Son so that we might yet walk with him again — so that we might have him, and with him, everything we could ever long to have. Heaven Without God Because of what Christ has done, one day soon we will walk with God. The apostle John saw a vision of the new earth to come: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3). God will walk with man, and we will walk with God — on earth (Revelation 21:1–2). The earth we once knew will give way to a new earth, now made into heaven. But what if, when you finally walked those flawless streets, God himself were not there? What if everyone you ever loved were there, and cancer had lost its last battle, along with every other disease, and you could live anywhere in the world you wanted, but God were not there? Would heaven feel like heaven to you if you had to live without Christ? John Piper says,  Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And the people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. (God Is the Gospel) You were made to walk with God, and Jesus died to give you God (1 Peter 3:18). Set your hope on the real treasure of heaven: God himself. Heaven Without Tears Not only will we walk with God in heaven, but we will never not walk with him again. We’ll never want to leave his side, and we’ll never have to. The apostle John goes on,  Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3–4) The moment our life begins on the new earth, every threat we ever knew will have ended. All our mourning will break into dancing. Every tear we might have shed will be dried by perfect love. Death will have made its last stand, and then fallen before King Jesus, who will spend eternity walking with us through his redeemed kingdom — a whole world set free from bondage to sin (Romans 8:21). Heaven Without End Apart from the nails in Christ’s hands and feet, none us would ever cross heaven’s gates. But by faith in him, heaven has become our sure and final home. We should live all our days on earth, therefore, to make sure we walk with him there. The apostle Paul quotes the old promise in Leviticus 26:11, “I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Then Paul says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Because we know that we will walk with God, we watch all the more carefully how we walk now — striving to cleanse ourselves of sin and to live more wholly for him. The presence of God will make the new earth a heaven. When that heaven comes, it will never, ever end. And if you will trust Jesus, and learn to walk with him now, that heaven will be yours. He will be yours — forevermore. Marshall Segal @marshallsegal Marshall Segal is a writer and managing editor at http://desiringgod.org.  He’s the author of Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness & Dating (2017).  He graduated from Bethlehem College & Seminary.  He and his wife, Faye, have a son and live in Minneapolis.

Christ is Risen

April 12, 2020 • Matthew & Laura Wynthein

Colossians 2:15 "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Romans 8:21 "that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Romans 1:4 "and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord," Hebrews 7:16 "who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life." Luke 24:5 "And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead?" 1 Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." Colossians 1:17 "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Luke 15:20-21 "And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." Psalm 44:8 "In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah" 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Devotional *Christ is risen indeed*. How tragic it would be if that shocking announcement were to be replaced by the Easter Bunny and its host of colorful eggs. For many, Easter has become little more than an occasion for a family meal. But for the Christian, it is everything. Yet, even within Christian circles, do we pay enough attention to what is, in the minds of some, necessarily indispensable. “Far too often,” comments Scottish preacher James Stewart (1986–1990), “we have been inclined to regard the Resurrection as an epilogue to the gospel, an addendum to the scheme of salvation, a codicil to the divine last will and testament.” But, he continues, “This is no appendix to the faith. This is the faith. He is risen. He is risen indeed.” Is this an overstatement? The apostle Paul answers concisely, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be relegated to a single holy day or a religious afterthought. Consider just a few reasons why. You Are Forgiven The resurrection is indispensable proof of our forgiveness accomplished at the cross. It is the great punctuation at the end of the passion’s gory sentence. If Christ had not been raised from the dead in power, how would we be sure that he really was the Son of God (Romans 1:4)? If he did not show himself to have conquered death, showing himself alive with the wounds still visible, how would we be sure that he really conquered our sin? Further than proof, Paul argues that if Christ did not rise from the dead, if he did not slay death and return victorious from the pit, we are still hopelessly caught in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). If he hasn’t defeated the grave, we have no true hope. But praise God, we do have hope! The empty tomb proves for all time that Jesus did what he said he would do. The Father gives his heavenly commentary in Christ forever alive from the grave to never die again — reigning with “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). He Will Be with You The resurrection cures us of what A.W. Tozer calls a functional type of atheism. We habitually stand in our now and look back by faith to see the past filled with God. We look forward and see him inhabiting our future; but our now is uninhabited except with ourselves. Thus we are guilty of a pro tem atheism which leaves us alone in the universe while, for the time, God is not. We talk of him much and loudly, but we secretly think of him as being absent, and we think of ourselves as inhabiting a parenthetical interval between the God who was and the God who will be. What stands in the stead of the living Christ who is? Too often a memorial to a fallen hero. We work to keep him in our memory, like we might a deceased mother or son. We enshrine him in our minds, subtly forgetting that he sits securely enthroned in heaven sustaining our very ability to think. We linger experientially, as it were, in those gloomy days between that unforgettable Friday and that unrivaled Sunday morning. But he is risen! We have a right to overhear how the angel questioned those outside of Christ’s tomb: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) Easter means he is alive. He is with us, now. He can hear us. See us. He upholds every particular by the word of his power (Colossians 1:17). Because he lives, we do. The New Age Has Dawned “The point of Easter,” writes John Piper, “is that God is in the process of clearing this world of all heartbreak.” The resurrection means he has already begun. In Christ rising from the dead, the new era has come. “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:17). This old world will soon give way to the new heavens and the new earth, and all creation “will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). The resurrection of Jesus was no afterthought or appendix. It was no epilogue. It was redemption’s earthquake that shook the foundation of eternity. It was the defining event that marked the dawning of the new age. Now the end is near. We live in the era when our forgiveness is totally secured, his presence is forever enjoyed, and all of our faith will become sight in the twinkling of an eye. Greg Morse Greg Morse is a content strategist for http://desiringgod.org and graduate of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He and his wife, Abigail, live in St. Paul, Minnesota.