Worship Devotional L
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 11/28/2020.
Worship Devotional for 11/29/20
This week's songs serve as a transition from the thanksgiving season to the Christmas season. As we approach the weeks of singing about the birth of Jesus our King, the hope that He brings, and the fulfillment of prophecies, we focus first on His coming as the light of the world. Jesus Christ is our light in the midst of the darkness around us. When those who do not believe are scrambling for answers and a sense of comfort and security and peace, we who do believe find our rest and peace in the Lord. The Spirit of God gives us everything we need to endure, to thrive in good works for His glory, and to rejoice even when faced with difficult trials. May we learn to declare the truth of who our God is to a lost world that is desperate for good news. He is the everlasting Light! He alone is able to save us from sin and condemnation and death. Life, salvation, hope, light, truth, and grace are given freely by God to those who believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. We pray that the light of the gospel of our Lord would shine brightly through us, that God may be glorified in every season and circumstance of our lives.
John 8:12:
"Then Jesus spoke to them again: 'I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.'"
Here are the songs:
John 1:1-5, 14, 16-17:
"In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it...
The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth... Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
2) Here I Am To Worship by Tim Hughes
This song is a response of worship to the glorious King of heaven who humbled Himself and became the light of the world, stepping down into our darkness so that He might save us by His sacrifice. Because of God's great love for us, Jesus gave Himself to be offered up in our place on the cross, paying the price of punishment for our sins. Now we who believe in Him will never have to know that cost, because we have been justified and set free by the grace and mercy of our God. May we forever cast ourselves down before Him in worship, for He who loved us and gave Himself for us is worthy of all that we are.
3) Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa
As we approach the Christmas season, this modern hymn invites us to come and behold the wondrous mystery of the gospel. See the dawning of the King as we remember and celebrate the birth of the Messiah. See the perfect life of Jesus, fulfilling the word and will of God, then laying it down to save sinners. Behold His suffering on the cross and the unfolding of the Father's plan for our redemption. And let us remember and hold fast to the unwavering hope we have in Him as we sing about His resurrection and victory over death forever!
4) Suffering Servant by Dustin Kensrue
Isaiah 52:13-53:12:
"See, My Servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were appalled at You — His appearance was so disfigured that He did not look like a man, and His form did not resemble a human being — so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him, for they will see what had not been told them, and they will understand what they had not heard.
Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn't have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, nor appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn't value Him.
Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth. He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered His fate? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was struck because of my people's rebellion. They made His grace with the wicked and with a rich man at His death, although He had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.
Yet the Lord was pleased to crush Him severely. When You make Him a restitution offering, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and by His hand, the Lord's pleasure was accomplished. He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil, because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels."
5) Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus by Charles Wesley
This first Christmas hymn of the season turns our attention to the long-awaited arrival of the promised Messiah. We join the anticipation felt by those who recognized the signs of Christ's first coming, and we praise God for it while also asking Him to come and reign in our hearts here and now. As we look forward to the remembrance and celebration of the the birth of Christ, may we seek refuge in Him from the chaos raging in the world around us. May we be in agreement together as we praise God for what He has done and sing, "From our fears and sins release us / Let us find our rest in Thee."
Scripture references:
Psalms 22, 36
Isaiah 42:1-17, 49:1-13, 50:4-11, 51:1-11, 52:7-15, 53
Matthew 4:12-17, 11:25-30
Luke 1:78-79, 2:31-32
John 1:1-35, 3:16-21, 8:12, 12:34-46
Romans 5:12-21
1 Corinthians 15
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Ephesians 3:8-12, 5:1-21
Colossians 1:9-14
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Hebrews 2, 10:19-23,
1 John 1