Ordinary May 30, 2021

“An integral church is one in which God’s Spirit is free to act so that in it the Word of God becomes flesh - a church which is making progress in its own transformation and the transformation of the community which it serves.” Rene Padilla

We are glad you are here this morning to take a step towards encountering God and belonging in our community of imperfect people. We’re all at different places in our relationship with God. You might have heard a lot about God or be exploring who He is for the first time. At New Song, we are all seeking transformation in our lives by the grace of God. May this morning be good for your soul!

This is a period of growth and maturation, a time in which the Spirit works to take the truths of the gospel deeper into our lives. Ordinary time can be understood in terms of the living out of Christian faith and the meaning of Christ’s resurrection in ordinary life.

Advent | Christmas | Epiphany | Lent | Easter | Pentecost | Ordinary CALL TO WORSHIP: PSALM 27:4, 7-8 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

SONG: GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME

Verse 1 Verse 4 God, be merciful to me Broken, humbled to the dust On Thy grace I rest my plea By Thy wrath and judgment just Plenteous in compassion Thou Let my contrite heart rejoice Blot out my transgressions now And in gladness hear Thy voice Wash me, make me pure within From my sins O hide Thy face Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin Blot them out in boundless grace

Verse 2 Verse 5 My transgressions I confess Gracious God, my heart renew Grief and guilt my soul oppress Make my spirit right and true I have sinned against Thy grace Cast me not away from Thee And provoked Thee to Thy face Let Thy Spirit dwell in me I confess Thy judgment just Thy salvation’s joy impart Speechless I Thy mercy trust Steadfast make my willing heart

Verse 3 Verse 6 I am evil, born in sin Sinners then shall learn from me Thou desirest truth within And return, O God, to Thee Thou alone my Savior art Savior all my guilt remove Teach Thy wisdom to my heart And my tongue shall sing Thy love Make me pure, Thy grace bestow Touch my silent lips, O Lord Wash me whiter than the snow And my mouth shall praise accord GOSPEL READING: MARK 6:14-29 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE Gracious God, you formed all of creation, and you formed man and woman in your image. Forgive us when we forget that all are created in your image. You invite us to participate in the redemption of your creation. Forgive us when we make more things broken. Give us wisdom to steward the opportunities for transformation you place before us. You call us to walk in humility, doing justice and loving mercy. You transform our lives from darkness into light, from brokenness into wholeness. Help us, O God, to offer ourselves as agents of your healing and hope to the world, by the grace of the Son Jesus. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: EPHESIANS 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

NEW SONG NEWS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

OFFERING We want to be a generous community. In response to the grace we’ve received, we seek to give cheerfully, diligently, proportionately, and sacrificially (2 Cor 8:1-15). You can give online at https:// newsong.churchcenter.com/giving.

God of all grace, make us a people full of grace. Because of your generosity to us, we seek to be generous with all that we have. Take these gifts, and use them for the spreading of your grace in the world. Amen. SONG: FALL AFRESH

Verse 1 Bridge Awaken my soul, come awake Come and fill this place To hunger, to seek, to thirst Let Your glory now invade Awaken first love, come awake Spirit come and fill this place And do as you did, at first Let Your glory now invade

Chorus Chorus Spirit of the living God Spirit of the living God Come fall afresh on me Come fall afresh on me Come wake me from my sleep Come wake me from my sleep Blow through the caverns of my soul Blow through the caverns of my soul Pour in me to overflow Pour in me to overflow

Verse 2 Awaken my soul, come awake To worship with all your strength

Chorus Spirit of the living God Come fall afresh on me Come wake me from my sleep Blow through the caverns of my soul Pour in me to overflow

SERMON: THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHURCH - ACTS 2:42-47

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Our Lord and God, we praise you for your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who by his death on the cross and rising to new life offered the one true sacrifice for sin. (Words of Institution) Gracious God, we thank you for these gifts of bread and wine, and pray that we who receive them, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, according to our Savior’s word, may share in victory and eternal life. SONG: ANOTHER IN THE FIRE

Verse 1 Bridge There’s a grace when the heart is under fire And I can see the light in the darkness Another way when the walls are closing in As the darkness bows to Him And when I look at the space between I can hear the roar in the heavens Where I used to be and this reckoning As the space between wears thin I know I will never be alone I can feel the ground shake beneath us As the prison walls cave in Chorus 1 Nothing stands between us There was another in the fire Nothing stands between us Standing next to me There was another in the waters Verse 3 Holding back the seas There is no other name but the name that is Jesus And should I ever need reminding He who was and still is and will be through it all Of how I’ve been set free So come what may in the space between There is a cross that bears the burden All the things unseen and this reckoning Where another died for me I know I will never be alone There is another in the fire I know I will never be alone

Verse 2 Chorus 3 All my debt left for dead beneath the waters There’ll be another in the fire I’m no longer a slave to my sin anymore Standing next to me And should I fall in the space between There’ll be another in the waters What remains of me and this reckoning Holding back the seas Either way I won’t bow to the things of this world And should I ever need reminding And I know I will never be alone How good You’ve been to me I’ll count the joy come every battle Chorus 2 ʼCause I know that’s where You’ll be There is another in the fire There is another in the fire Standing next to me There is another in the waters Holding back the seas And should I ever need reminding What power set me free There is a grave that holds no body Now that power lives in me There is another in the fire

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S TABLE Let us confess our faith: I believe in God: the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. SONG: HAIL TO THE LORD’S ANOINTED

Chorus Verse 3 Hail to the Lord’s anointed To give them songs for sighing Great David’s greater Son Their darkness turn to light Hail in the time appointed Whose souls, condemned and dying His reign on earth begun Are precious in His sight His reign on earth begun Verse 4 Verse 1 He shall come down like showers He comes to break oppression Upon the fruitful earth To set the captive free Love, joy, and hope like flowers To take away transgression Spring in His path to birth And rule in equity Verse 5 Verse 2 Kings shall fall down before Him He comes in comfort speedy And gold and incense bring To those who suffer wrong All nations shall adore Him To help the poor and needy His praise all people sing And bid the weak be strong

BENEDICTION

Pastor: Robert Binion, [email protected], 404-513-5761 New Song Presbyterian is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America www.newsong.org