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September 20, 2020 - Sunday Service Worship Guide

 

 

TOday's Announcements

Good morning Mercy Hill and happy Sunday to you!  If you're new with us, we just wanted to extend a special welcome to you.  Feel free to fill out a Connection Card to get more info or prayer.  We're glad to have you with us!

If you're tuning in for the Watch Party, you'll notice that the platform has tabs where you can find today's Worship Guide, read an online Bible, and even chat.  While we're meeting virtually like this, we'd encourage everyone to please consider taking a moment to put a comment in the chat box there.  Let us know who you are and maybe where you're tuning in from.  Say hi.  We miss you!  And as we get into the message, feel free to share other Scriptures that come to mind, prayer requests that you have, questions that you'd like answered, etc.  It would be great to interact even in this limited format.

Here are a few critical announcements to keep in mind:

  • Mercy Hill Youth Hike: All Mercy Hill Youth are invited to a hike at Almaden Quicksilver Park! Come join us for a time of fellowship whilst enjoying the great outdoors, and we'll provide pizza at the end of the hike as well. Plan to bring water and wear a mask so we can follow social distancing guidelines. We encourage you to pray and invite any of your friends as well. Please RSVP here so we know if you're coming, and let us know of any specific food allergies you may have. Hope to see you there!
  • All Church Prayer: Tonight's All Church Prayer meeting will be hosted in-person at the Wilson's residence and will take place in their yard for a safe, socially-distanced meeting (RSVP required below). If you need the location details you can request that when you RSVP and a member of our team will get back to you. For any planning to attend, we ask that you please respect the county's guidelines by committing to self-screen before arrival and socially distance and wear a mask while present. We know this is hard, but we thank you in advance for your understanding! For more on this, you can check out our reopening document here. To RSVP, please fill out the form here. (Note: we may have to cap attendance, so be sure to register as soon as you can to save your seat!)
  • Sunday Service Afterparty: Remember to join us immediately following the Watch Party via Zoom for the Afterparty (which today will include a time for communion, so grab the elements if you have them!).  You can find a link to join in here.
  • Mercy Hill Kids Online Worship: Beginning at 11:30am today!  Go here to read more and to find a link to sign in!

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  • Home Groups: Many of our Home Groups are moving to a hybrid (in-person + virtual) format.  Whatever your comfort level with meeting, you're welcome to come check one out.  Find one to join here.  You are not alone!
  • COVID-19 SOS FormIf you or anyone you know needs help during this challenging time, we'd love to do what we can!


Today's Sermon


Title:
Let Everything that Has Breath Praise the Lord!
Text: Psalm 150
Preacher: Nick Weber
Manuscript: If you appreciate following along with written material, you can find today's manuscript here.


Reflection Questions

  • In vv. 1-2, the psalmist describes the "propriety" of praise.  It is right and appropriate that we praise the Lord.  Check your spiritual temperature.  Where are you at with this?  Has there been praise in your heart for God lately or not?  If not, why?  Have you just been distracted with all the stress of recent days?  Have you not been reading Scripture, meditating on His word and His works?  Repent as the Spirit leads.  Recount the ways God’s been good to you—all the ways you’ve seen His mighty deeds, both in Scripture, and in your life lately.  Begin to praise Him for it.  Open your heart back up to a God who loves you, died to save you, and wants relationship with you.
  • In vv. 3-5, the psalmist calls for us to take whatever's in our hand, whatever we can find lying around, and use it as an instrument of praise to God.  What’s in your hand right now?  Are you using it as instrument of praise?  Consider the various aspects of your life—your job, your money, your sexuality, your intelligence, your free time, your parenting, your friendships, your health, your sickness, your joys, your sorrows.  Is Christ being praised in these things through the way you’re handling them or are you throwing off the song with your own self-centeredness?  Is your entire life "one glorious hymn played out in praise of the greatness and goodness of God for you in Jesus"?  Why or why not?  Ask God to search you and make you that living sacrifice (Rom 12:1-2), that song of worship that He so delights in.  
  • In v. 6, the psalmist describes this crescendo of praise where "everything that has breath" is called to praise the Lord.  It's a command for the present, but a foreshadow of the future and where God is taking the world in Jesus (cf. Rev 5:13).  Have you been anxious about the way things are going in this current season with the pandemic, the economy, the racial unrest, the political turmoil, the wildfires, etc., etc.?  It has been hard.  But, as Christians we know how the story ends . . . in a crescendo of praise for the Lamb and His great victory.  How might this reality help resettle your heart during these troubling days?  Are you able to sing and praise God even now by faith?  He is worthy!

Call to Response


1.  Sing:

This week's worship music is included in the main service video embedded above.  Watch and sing along!

2.  Pray:

If you need prayer in any way, please either: (1) request it during the Watch Party via the "Request Prayer" button; (2) fill out a Connection Card; or (3) post your request to our Mercy Hill Community Facebook Group.  We’d love to be lifting you up and caring for you in this time!

3.  Give:

If you’d like to give an offering this morning, please check out our Give page to find the best option for you!

Mercy Hill Kids

While difficult, this pandemic does create a wonderful chance for parents to step towards their God-given call as chief disciplers of their kids.  We know this may feel overwhelming and that is why we want to help!  Parents of Mercy Hill children should have already received an email from the Director of Mercy Hill Kids, Christina Lugo, regarding ways you can utilize the Gospel Project curriculum at home.  This information has also been included on our blog here.  Beyond this, each Sunday, we are also looking to host an online worship gathering for our kids.  You can check here for more details.  We'd love to have you join us!

If you have any questions or need help in any way, don't hesitate to reach out to Christina at    

Have a Wonderful Week!