This is the plan determined for the whole world;
This is the hand stretched out over all nations.
Isaiah 14:26
1. Prepare for the sermon “The Hand Stretched Out Over All Nations” by studying Isaiah 14:24-32. This week’s recommended memory verse is underlined.
Isaiah 14:24-32 (NIV)
A Prophecy Against Assyria
24 The LORD Almighty has sworn,
"Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land;
on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke will be taken from my people,
and his burden removed from their shoulders."
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world;
this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28 This oracle came in the year King Ahaz died:
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,
that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,
its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
and the needy will lie down in safety.
But your root I will destroy by famine;
it will slay your survivors.
31 Wail, O gate! Howl, O city!
Melt away, all you Philistines!
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,
and there is not a straggler in its ranks.
32 What answer shall be given
to the envoys of that nation?
"The LORD has established Zion,
and in her his afflicted people will find refuge."
2. Pray for all those who will be leading us in worship.
One of the chief wiles of the wicked one is to bring discouragement upon God’s people, especially His pastors and leaders. Please pray that each and every person in leadership on Sunday morning would be filled with the Holy Spirit and protected from the evil one, and thus able to lead with spiritual zeal and joy, protected and shielded from a spirit of discouragement. Pray that they would be immersed in God’s Word and ready to engage in spiritual warfare, equipped with the shield of faith (with which they can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Look up Ephesians 6:1-20 and pray in like manner for all our spiritual leaders.
Preaching: Andrew Davis
Leading Music: Eric Campbell, Worship Choir and Orchestra
Leading Prayer: Andrew Davis, Flynn Cratty, Paul Campbell, Keegan Callanan
Reading Scripture: Jason Burgin
Translating the Service into Spanish: Herbert Rivera
Prayer Support: Alan and Cathy Creedy
3. Note key lines from the psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs we will be singing.
“All Creatures of Our God and King” 27
One of the things that wonderfully enriches Christian worship is the awareness that we serve the Triune God:
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
“Lord Most High”
Here our words of praise acknowledge that the God we worship is the Most High, the divine Sovereign, and as He has purposed in the world, so it will stand! (quoting Isaiah 14:24)
Exalted in every nation,
Sovereign of all creation,
Lord Most High, be magnified.
“I Sing the Mighty Power of God” 42
The reason God is the Most High worthy of our praise is that He is the Creator of the universe:
I sing the mighty power of God,
That made the mountains rise.
That spread the flowing seas abroad,
And built the lofty skies.
Also check out this amazing lyric (isn’t Watts the best?)…
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed
Where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the sky!
“Every Promise”
There are two reasons I think this song is timely for us to sing on Sunday: (1) it reminds us of God’s amazing faithfulness – that He gives us promises that He will keep, and (2) since we sing this following a time of confession of sin, it reminds us that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9):
You are faithful to forgive,
That in freedom I might live,
So I stand on every promise of Your Word.
“Before the Throne of God Above”
RC Sproul has a book entitled, Saved from What? In it he argues regarding the question, "Are you saved?" that the initial response might be, "Saved from what?" It's a logical reply. Yet too many of us as Christians don't really know how to answer that question--for the ones we are trying to witness to, or for ourselves. R.C. Sproul shows that what we are saved from is really a who--God Himself. That the glory of the gospel is that the One from whom we need to be saved is the very One who saves us.
One with Himself, I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
4. Consider this great worship quote from Basil Manley, Jr., one of the four founding faculty members of Southern Seminary and publisher (with his father) of the first Baptist hymnal.
If churches everywhere would cease to regard sacred music either with indifference or as a matter of mere taste; if they would commence with the young, training their ears while they are sensitive, and their voices while they are flexible; if families would unite at least once a day in a brief, spirited hymn, as well as in other domestic devotions; if, instead of the choirs being burdened with doing the singing, they should simply be honored with leading the singing; and if the voices of all God’s people should join heartily and understandingly with grace not only in the notes but in the hearts, the effect would surprise us all. –Basil Manley, Jr., 1859
May the Lord bless you as you prepare for the Lord's Day!
Eric Campbell
Minister of Worship
PS: There will be no regular evening worship service this week due to the Home Fellowships Introductory Dinner. Reservations have been received and the food has been ordered! Plan to come and enjoy our Home Fellowships Introductory Dinner at 6:00pm (we will begin serving at 5:45pm) in Morgan Hall followed by the Home Fellowships presentation in the Sanctuary! Childcare will be provided for children ages three and under.
Weekly Worship Preparation Page via Email
To receive (automatically) the Worship Preparation Page via email every week, click here and send the email that comes up, as is. You will then receive a confirmation email, to which you will need to reply. Then you will be signed up. Please note that any spam filters should be set to allow messages from the listserv.fbcdurham.org domain. For questions or comments concerning the weekly worship preparation page, please email me.
