The Lord’s Day Worship Service

January 6, 2011 ~ New City Church | Calgary

Welcome
We are glad you have joined us today. Whether you are a Christian seeking to grow in your
relationship with Jesus Christ, or a skeptic looking for answers, or someone who is struggling to
make sense of life and are looking for a caring community, you are warmly welcome here.
We’re glad you came.

After the Service

Please stay around for some refreshments after the service and meet someone new. If we
haven’t met you before, please come say “Hello.” We’d like to make that connection.

Pastors John Ferguson & Mike Ivancic

 Reflections & Preparation for Worship 

O God, by Your power may we, together with all the saints, comprehend the breadth and length
and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled
with Your fullness. Amen. ~ based on Ephesians 3:18-19

“The biblical story encompasses all of reality – north, south, east, west, past, present, future. It
begins with the creation of all things and ends with the renewal of all things. In between it offers
an interpretation of the meaning of cosmic history. It, therefore, makes a comprehensive claim;
our stories, our reality must find a place in this story.”
~ Michael Goheen, “Reading the Bible as One Story”

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His
people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”
~ The Apostle John in Revelation 21:3

“In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the
body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in
which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised
Him from the dead.”
~ The Apostle Paul in Colossians 2:11-12

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith
working through love.”
~ The (Jewish) Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:6

“…neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!”

~ The (Jewish) Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:15

1
  God Calls Us To Worship 
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. ~ Psalm 150:6

The Call to Worship ~ based on Isaiah 40:25-26; 28

Leader: “To whom then will you compare me that I should be like him?” says the Holy
One. “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out
their host by number, calling them all by name? By the greatness of His might,
and because He is strong in power not one is missing….
Unison: Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

Hymns of Praise & Worship

“Crown Him with Many Crowns”

1. Crown Him with many crowns

The Lamb upon His throne
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own
Awake, my soul and sing Of Him
Who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity

2. Crown Him the Lord of love

Behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above
In beauty glorified
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight
But downward bends His wond'ring eye
At mysteries so bright

3. Crown Him the Lord of life

Who triumphed o'er the grave
Who rose victorious to the strife
For those He came to save
His glories now we sing
Who died, and rose on high
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die

4. Crown Him the Lord of heav'n

One with the Father known
One with the Spirit through Him giv'n
From yonder glorious throne
To Thee be endless praise
2
 For Thou for us hast died
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days
Adored and magnified

5. Crown Him the Lord of years

The Potentate of time
Creator of the rolling spheres
Ineffably sublime
All hail, Redeemer, hail
For Thou has died for me
Thy praise shall never never fail
Throughout eternity

“How Great Is Our God”

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, Let all the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice, and trembles at His voice

chorus:
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands, and time is in His hands

Beginning and the end, beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One: Father, Spirit, Son

The Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb

(repeat chorus)

Name above all names, worthy of all praise

My heart will sing how great is our God

(repeat chorus)

 God Graciously Renews Us in Christ 

Have mercy on me, O God, in Your faithful love, in Your great tenderness wipe away my
offenses; wash me thoroughly from my guilt, purify me from my sin. ~ Psalm 51:1-2

Call to Confession ~ Psalm 130:4-5

Leader: “If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with You
there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.”

3
Prayerful Song of Confession

1. From the depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?
(Who shall stand before Thee?)
O who shall stand before Thee?
(Who shall stand before Thee?)
2. To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)
And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)

The Words of the Gospel ~ based on Romans 5:8; 8:1; Acts 10:43

Leader: God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us. There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus because, as all the prophets testify about Christ, everyone who believes in
Him receives the forgiveness of sins through His name.

To all who humbly seek the mercy of God,

I say to you, that in Christ Jesus your sins are forgiven!

Unison: May Christ alone be praised!

Song of Response

3. Therefore my trust is in the Lord,

And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience
(Wait for it with patience)
I wait for it with patience
(Wait for it with patience)

4. What though I wait the live-long night,

And ’til the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth;
Do thus, O ye of Israel’s seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait ’til God appeareth
(Wait ’til God appeareth)
And wait ’til God appeareth
(Wait ’til God appeareth)

4
 5. Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our upmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow
(All their sin and sorrow)
From all their sin and sorrow
(All their sin and sorrow)

 God Gives Us His Words of Eternal Life 

Lord Jesus, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! Let Your word dwell in
us richly, that whatever we do, in word or deed, we may do everything in Your name, giving
thanks to the Father through You. ~ based on John 6:68, Colossians 3:16-17

Today’s Scripture Lesson: “Redemption: Blessing Every Nation on the Planet (Part 3)”
John Ferguson, Lead Pastor

Genesis 17

17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God
Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and
may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant
is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called
Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will
make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I
will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations
for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and
to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession, and I will be their God.”

17:9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after
you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and
your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the
flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight
days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your
house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born
in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant
be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh
of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

17:15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but
Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her,
and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face
and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah,
who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before
you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will
5
establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael,
I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He
shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant
with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

17:22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took
Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of
Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And
Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very
day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the
house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

(notes)

6
  God Feeds Us His Covenant Meal 
From the east and the west, from the north and the south, people will come
and take their places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God. ~ based on Luke 13:29

A Word About Participating in The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a special family meal that Christ gave to His Bride, the Church.
For Christians, this meal is a time to receive these signs and seals of the New
Covenant which Christ has established with them. Believers come to this Table to meet
with their Lord and Saviour by faith, to be renewed by Him and strengthened in their
callings and mission as they eat the bread and drink the wine.

Therefore, all baptized Christians who trust in Christ alone as their Lord and Saviour
and who are connected to a church that proclaims his Gospel are invited to come to the
Table.

If you are not yet a Christian, or if for whatever reason you are not prepared to share
in this meal, we would encourage you to spend this time in prayer (perhaps using one of
the prayers listed below). Consider the invitation of Jesus, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst…
for my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:35, 40).

We would ask that children who have not yet professed belief in the Lord Jesus also
refrain from partaking until doing so. The pastor would be delighted to speak to families
about what it means to participate in the Lord’s Supper.

The Words of Institution

“The Lord Jesus, on the night we was betrayed took bread, and when he had given
thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance
of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new
covenant in my blood, do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as
often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he
comes.
~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper

Please come forward by rows to the center isle and form a semi-circle in front of the Table
to receive the bread and the wine. When finished, place your cup at the side tables and
proceed to your seat via the outer isles. If you are unable to come forward we would be
delighted to serve you at your seat.

New City Church uses wine in serving the Lord’s Supper. We would encourage you to
take of the wine since it is a symbol of joy and celebration in Scripture. However, juice is
also provided if you cannot drink wine due to health reasons or issues of conscience.

7
Prayers for Those Not Communing

A Prayer Searching for the Truth: Jesus, You claim to be the way, the truth, and the life,
and that no one comes to the Father except by You. If what You claim is true, please guide
me and teach me. Open to me the reality of who You are. Grant that I might be undaunted
in following You as I consider the reasons for doing so. Give me an understanding of You
that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the eternal life that You promise. Amen.

A Prayer of Trust in the Lord Jesus: Jesus, I confess that I am more broken, flawed, and
sinful than I had ever before dared to admit. Yet You tell me that I am more loved than I
ever dared to hope, and that You accept all who turn to you in simple faith. I am doing that
right now. I thank You for taking the justice that my sins deserved when You died on the
Cross. I eagerly trust You for the forgiveness for my sins, and I receive from You now the
eternal life that You promise to all who come to You. Amen.

A Prayer for Those Struggling with Sin: Lord Jesus, You know the battle that rages
within my heart. Grant that in my battles with sin, I may see in You the fulfillment of all my
needs. Give me strength to turn from every false satisfaction to find my ultimate joy in You.
Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely to me, and fill me with Your Spirit to run
with perseverance the race You have set before me, looking to You, the pioneer and
champion of my faith. Amen.

A Prayer for Children (who have yet to profess faith): Jesus, the Bible tells me that You
blessed kids like me. Help me to know who You are and to understand what You have done
for me. Amen.

Communion Hymns

“Name Above All Names”

Great Creator of the heavens and the earth

You know every star by name
Awesome power is revealed in all Your works
And forever You will reign

Righteous Sovereign over history and time

Wholly God yet fully man
What mystery that You left Your throne on high
To return with nail-scarred hands

And one day every knee will humbly bow

And every tongue confess aloud that

chorus
Jesus is the name above all names
He is worthy of all praise
Jesus is the name above all names
King of kings for endless days

8
 Perfect wisdom in the mercy of the Cross
Still I’ll never understand
Why a rebel so unworthy of such cost
Would be ransomed by Your hand

(repeat chorus)

“Revelation Song”

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
(repeat)

chorus
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows of living color

Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King

(repeat chorus)

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder

At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery

(repeat chorus)

 God Receives Our Offerings 

“…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where
thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
~ Jesus, in Matthew 6:20-21

9
The Presentation of our Tithes and Offerings

This collection of our tithes and offerings is for those who consider New City Church their
church family and regularly benefit from her ministry and want to invest in her mission. If
you are visiting with us, please feel no obligation to give.

Hymn of Praise & Worship

“Jesus Shall Reign”

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun

Does his successive journeys run
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore
Till moons shall wax and wane no more

To Him shall endless prayer be made

And praises throng to crown His head
His name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
With every morning sacrifice

People and realms of every tongue

Dwell on His love with sweetest song
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name

Blessings abound where’er He reigns

The pris’ner leaps to lose his chains
The weary find eternal rest
And all the sons of want are blest

Let every creature rise and bring

Peculiar honors to our King
Angels descend with songs again
And earth repeats the loud amen

 God Sends Us Out Into The World With His Blessing 

“God has shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ~ from Micah 6:8

Leader: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:18) .
People: Amen!

10
  Community Life 

Today after the service: We will continue our Newcomer’s class where you can learn more
about New City Church. This class will introduce you to the vision and distinctives of New City
Church, our hopes and dreams, and your part to play in it all. There will also be an opportunity
to explore what membership at New City Church means with its privileges and responsibilities.
All are invited to attend this classes that will be held for 45 minutes immediately after the
worship service. Nursery will be provided.

Next Sunday Evening: Potluck dinner at the Confederation Park Activity Centre. All are
encouraged to come back out. If you are able, please bring enough food for yourself/ family
plus 5 others. Feb. 13th, 6-7:30.

Engaging the Culture with the Gospel: Woodgreen Presbyterian Church is sponsoring a
weekend with apologist Andy Bannister of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Session #1:
“Ideas & Their Consequences: The Christian Worldview and Why It Matters” (Saturday, Feb.
12, 7-9pm. Session #2: “In the World but not of the World: Understanding and Engaging Our
Culture” (Sunday, Feb. 13, 5-6pm). No cost.

David Fitch will be speaking at Ambrose University, Feb. 16 & 17 at 7pm, on “The Future of
Evangelicalism.” His website is www.reclaimingthemission.com. No cost.

New City Church Online. Visit us NCC online at www.NewCityChurch.ca. Here, you can find
our sermons & sermon notes posted. You can also subscribe to our sermons via iTunes. Just
search for “New City Church Calgary” and you can find us on iTunes. We’re also on Facebook
& have a blog for those who are not on Facebook as well. All is accessible via
www.NewCityChurch.ca.
* NCC-giving indicates funds raised outside of New City Church

All songs used by permission. CCLI license # 273300. Parts of the worship service are adapted from or
11
reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, c. 2004, CRC Publications.

12