Bulletin for Sunday, April 25, 2021

Savior’s Here

You bring hope, You bring life
Awaken hearts, open eyes
With our voices, hear them rise
We call these dry bones to come alive
You are faithful – You are true
We can always run to

Love that never fails
Arms that never close
Blood that covers sin
Grace that never ends

You have saved us, You have won
Sin is broken, death is gone
Freedom’s found us, breakthrough’s near
In Your presence, no more fear
Our Savior’s here – Our Savior’s here

Faith is stirring, hearts are free
Chains are broken when we believe
You are mighty, You come through
We can always run to

Love that never fails
Arms that never close
Blood that covers sin
Grace that never ends

Love that never fails
Arms that never close
Blood that covers sin
Grace that never ends

You have saved us, You have won
Sin is broken, death is gone
Freedom’s found us, breakthrough’s near
In Your presence, no more fear
Our Savior’s here – Our Savior’s here

Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah Our God saves
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah Our God saves
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah Our God saves
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah Our God saves

You have saved us, You have won
Sin is broken, death is gone
Freedom’s found us, breakthrough’s near
In Your presence, no more fear

You have saved us, You have won
Sin is broken, death is gone
Freedom’s found us, breakthrough’s near
In Your presence, no more fear
Our Savior’s here – Our Savior’s here

Your Love Never Fails

Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

The wind is strong and the water’s deep
I’m not alone in these open seas
‘Cause Your love never fails
The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
‘Cause Your love never fails

‘Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good

You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

I Give Myself Away

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me
(repeat)

Here I am – Here I stand
Lord, my life is in your hands
Lord, I’m longing to see
Your desires revealed in me

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me
(repeat)

Take my heart – Take my life
As a living sacrifice
All my dreams all my plans
Lord I place them in your hands

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me
(repeat)

My life is not my own
To you I belong
I give myself, I give myself to you
(repeat)

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me
(repeat)

This Is My Father’s World

This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world:
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!

Revelation 22:12-17

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost.

———–

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Everyone: Thanks be to God.

John Mayer – In the Blood
How much of my mother has my mother left in me?
How much of my love will be insane to some degree?
And what about this feeling that I’m never good enough?
Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?

“Is one of my themes attacking Christianity? No. I don’t attack Christianity. I berate evangelicalism. Fundamentalism. It’s a destructive narrow-minded worldview. And one of the most destructive, narrow-minded aspects of it is that its adherents feel as if they are the entirety of Christianity rather than the tiny sliver of it that they actually are. Evangelicalism is a toddler tradition that’s cousins with Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, and it’s the snot-nosed little sibling of mainline Protestant denominations. So yes, I’m out here saying that fundamentalism is bizarre [and] anti-intellectual. But that’s not me attacking Christianity. Christianity is a big family. I’m just saying that one of the kids is being kind of a brat. And most of the rest of the family agrees.” — Abraham Piper

John Mayer – In the Blood (rewrite about faith)
How much of my faith did the 80s leave in me?
Which of my beliefs are still insane to some degree?
And what of this obsession more with judgment than with love?
Will it wash out in the water or is it always in the blood?

“The wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” — Westminster Confession 1646

Theologoumena
— non-binding theological thoughts/opinions/reflections

Apokatastasis — “universal restoration.”

1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

Acts 3:21 “… until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

Colossians 1:19-20 “19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself.”

Revelation 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

“Interestingly, we Catholics are always canonizing saints, pronouncing them to be in heaven beyond a shadow of a doubt. They are our role models; we can imitate them. Yet this same church has never declared that a single person is in hell or purgatory, not even Judas or Hitler. The church might just be holding out for a possible universal restoration.” — Richard Rohr

“Concerning the detailed specific nature of hell … the Catholic Church has defined nothing. … It is useless to speculate about its true nature, and more sensible to confess our ignorance in a question that evidently exceeds human understanding.” — Father John Anthony O’Brien

Her Gates Will Never Be Shut
Bradley Jersak

Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:8 “But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:25 “In the daytime (for there will be no night there) the city’s gates will never be closed.”

Revelation 22:14-15 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

Revelation 22:17 “The spirit of Christ and the bride of Christ are calling out, “Come” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost.

“Will it really be all men who allow themselves to be reconciled? No theology or prophecy can answer this question. But love hopes all things (1 Cor 13:7). It cannot do otherwise than to hope for the reconciliation of all men in Christ. Such unlimited hope is, from the Christian standpoint, not only permitted but commanded.” — Hermann-Josef Lauter

Goodness of God

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
(repeat)

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
(repeat)

Hosanna

I see the king of glory coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart with what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna in the highest