05-17-2015 Sunday Evening Bulletin.pub

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The Lord’s Day Evening May 17, 2015 Six O’clock

Welcome and Announcements Prelude Dear heavenly Father, so many different narratives compete for our hearts, days, energy, and resources. But the startling encounter between you and Abram reminds us of the main storyline of the Bible—the story which connects all of history, and reveals your irrepressibly, immeasurably generous heart. We praise you for making incredible promises to an unsuspecting pagan, Abram—promises you alone can keep. Indeed, from beginning to end your story is a story of sovereign grace. Father, thank you for the promise of “the land.” It began in the Garden of Eden, continued in the land of Israel, and will culminate in the new heaven and new earth. Place and space matter to you. You’ve promised to redeem and restore your entire fallen world, not just one part of it. Jesus is making all things new, not all new things. We praise you for your inviolate plans and great strength.

P E O P L E : F o r t h e l aw b r i n g s w r a t h , b u t w h e r e t h e r e i s n o l a w t h e r e i s no transgression. MINISTER: That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all… P E O P L E : T h a t i s w h y h i s f a i t h w a s “c o u n t e d t o h i m a s r i g h t e o u s n e s s . ” B u t t h e w o r d s “i t w a s c o u n t e d to h i m ” w e r e n o t w r i t t e n f o r h i s s a k e a l o n e , b u t f o r o u r s also. A L L : I t w i l l b e c o u n t e d t o u s w ho b e l i e v e i n h i m w h o r a i s e d f ro m th e d e a d J e s u s o u r L o r d , wh o w a s d e l i v e r e d u p f o r o u r t r e s p a s s e s a n d r a i sed f o r o u r justification.

Invocation ......................................................... Dr. Sean Michael Lucas Hymn (handout) ............................... Sovereign Grace, O’er Sin Abounding Ministry Moment ..................................... Twin Lakes Camp (Lizzy Rhett) Songbook 29 ......................................................God, Be Merciful to Me Prayer of Illumination

Thank you for the promise of “the seed.” From the one man Abram, you created a great nation as the birthing canal of the Messiah, Jesus. You promised the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15), and you did not lie. Jesus came into the world to destroy the work of the devil, and he has succeeded. His cross and resurrection guarantee that, just like Abraham, we are counted righteous in your sight by faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom 4). We praise you for the everlasting gospel of your saving grace.

Scripture Reading.........................................................Genesis 20:1-18 Sermon ............................................................. Dr. Sean Michael Lucas “Deja Vu All Over Again: The Gospel according to Abraham (9)”

Father, thank you for making us characters in and carriers of your great story of redemption. So let us live and so let us love to your glory. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name. (Scotty Smith)

Songbook 8 .................................................................. And Can It Be?

Call to Worship .................................................................... Romans 4

Postlude

MINISTER: For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

Benediction

Sermon Notes Title: Deja Vu All Over Again: The Gospel according to Abraham (9) Text: Genesis 20:120:1 -18

1.

2.

Same problem

A.

Similarities

B.

Differences

Surprising turns

A.

The godless one is not so godless.

B.

The righteous one is not so righteous.

C.

The gracious one is extremely gracious.

May 17, 2015 6:00 p.m. Presbyterian Church in America Hattiesburg, Mississippi