1. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most important distinguishing doctrines of the Christian faith and therefore is deserving of our careful study, passionate embrace, and thoughtful application
2. The doctrine of the Trinity is both central and necessary for the Christian faith to be what it is.  Remove the Trinity, and the whole Christian faith disintegrates
3. Worship of the true and living God consciously acknowledges the relationship and roles of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
4. The Christian’s life of prayer must rightly acknowledge the roles of Father, Son, and Spirit as we pray to the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Spirit.
5. The Christian’s growth in Christlikeness or sanctification is rightly understood and enriched when seen as the work of the triune God.
6. The triune relationships of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the unity of the triune God.
7. The triune relationships of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the diversity within the triune God.
8. The triune relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cause us to wonder at the social relationality of the triune God.
9. The triune relationships of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the authority-submission structure that exists eternally in the three Persons of the Godhead, each whom is equally and fully God.
10. The doctrine of the Trinity- one God existing in three Persons in the ways we have described- provides one of the most important and neglected patterns for how human life and human relationships are to be conducted

Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy Merciful & mighty,
God in three persons God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Who was & Who is Who was & Who is
And evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power Perfect in power
In love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth & sky & sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful & mighty,
God in three persons God in three persons
God in three persons God in three persons
Blessed Trinity.

Reading: Confession

Great Father, We’ve been slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. (James 1:19) We’ve all chosen slavery to sin instead of your glory, which we fall short of every day(John 8:34 & Romans 3:23) We all, like fools, previously decided in our hearts to act like you don’t exist. (Psalm 14:1)

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:3-6)

Song: The Water & the Blood

Lord we confess our many faults
And how great our guilt has been
Foolish and vain were all of our thoughts
No good could come from within

But by the mercy of our God
All of our hopes begin
And by the water and the blood
Our souls are washed from sin
Our souls are washed

It’s not by the works of righteousness
Which our own hands have done
But we are saved by our Father’s grace
Abounding through His Son
Abounding through His Son

But by the mercy of our God
All of our hopes begin
And by the water and the blood
Our souls are washed from sin
Our souls are washed from sin

Oh we are saved by our Father’s grace
Abounding through his Son
Abounding through his Son

But by the mercy of our God
All our hopes begin
And by the water and the blood
Our souls are washed
Our souls are washed
Our souls are washed from sin

Song: In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sins curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

No guilt in life, No fear in death!
From life’s first cry to final breath!

Reading: Romans 5

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned…But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation,

but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. -Romans 5: 11, 15-17

Song: Matchless Grace

Adam our father & our head
Transgressed the Law & doomed us dead
God’s perfect law speaks all despair
There’s no reprieve, nor pardon there
But Justice was pleased to bruise our God
And pay it’s wrongs with his own blood
What unknown pain & shame he bore
He rose again, the law could ask no more

Oh matchless grace!
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Down to the world the Savior comes
Oh matchless grace
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Stretches his arms, he bleeds, & he dies

Adam our father & our head
Transgressed the Law & doomed us dead
God’s perfect law speaks all despair
There’s no reprieve, nor pardon there
But Justice was pleased to bruise our God
And pay it’s wrongs with his own blood
What unknown pain & shame he bore
He rose again, the law could ask no more

Oh matchless grace!
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Down to the world the Savior comes
Oh matchless grace
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Stretches his arms, he bleeds, & he dies

Oh we adore you incarnate God
And sing of the glories you have won for us
We sing how you broke our bonds & chains
How low you sunk! How high you reign!

Oh matchless grace!
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Down to the world the Savior comes
Oh matchless grace
The Son of God takes Adam’s place
Stretches his arms, he bleeds, & he dies

Passing of the Peace

Though our sins overwhelm us, the mercy of God far surpasses them. In Christ, we are forgiven. As God’s children, let’s welcome one another now with a spirit of love and thankfulness.

Ryan intro Dave & Pray

Sermon (Dave Dorr)

Communion

Song: In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross

In the shadow of the glorious cross
Compelled by grace to cast my lot
I’ll discard the loss and bare your name
Forsaking all for your own fame

Your hymn of grace sung over me
Abounding forth in glorious streams
My thirst is quenched by you my Lord
Sustained am I redeemed restored
Sustained am I redeemed restored

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

When death’s dark shadow’s at my feet
When I am plagued by unbelief
You place my hands into your side
By precious blood identified
By precious blood identified

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

These crowns I’ve clenched with fisted hands
I cast them down before the throne
Of Christ my God the worthy lamb
Christ crucified, the Great I AM
Christ crucified, the Great I AM
Christ crucified, the Great I AM

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Song: O Glorious Day

One day when heaven
Is filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to
Be born of a virgin
He dwelt among men,
my example is He

Living He loved me
Dying He saved me
Buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified
Freely forever
One day He’s coming

Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

One day they led Him
Up calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him
To die on a tree
Suffering anguish
Despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jeff_johnson/glorious_day.html ]
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose o’er
Death He had conquered
Now is ascended
My lord evermore

Living He loved me
Dying He saved me
Buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified
Freely forever
One day He’s coming

Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

One day the trumpet will
Sound for His coming
One day the skies with His
Glories will shine
Wonderful day
My beloved was bringing
Glorious Savior this Jesus is mine

Living He loved me
Dying He saved me
Buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified
Freely forever
One day He’s coming

Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

Benediction (Ryan)

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

What we have is a promise laying side by side with a warning.  Seems like if the promise was sure you wouldnt need to bother with a warning, right?  If there is a promise you’ll all live, why doesnt Paul say, “Hey do whatever you guys want, we’ve got the promise from God that we’ll live.  I dont care what you do!”?

Doesnt a promise negate the need for a warning?

Here is the key to seeing how these fit together:  the warning serves as the MEANS by which the promise is accomplished.  In other words, by using the warning God’s purposes are brought about.  This is the key to understanding the book of Hebrews.  Why the warning passages in Hebrews if its written to believers?  If your salvation is sure (promise) then why warn people that if they dont continue to the end they wont be saved?  Wont everyone who is saved continue to the end? (the answer to that question is yes, in case you were unsure).

God has a will which he has ordained and he brings it to pass through MEANS which he ordained.  The means of keeping all the men on that ship to save them all?  A warning from Paul.  The means of keeping followers of Jesus persevering to the end?  Warnings in scripture (example: Hebrews 10:26-27).  So, hear the warnings, trust they’re for you, and let them do their intended work: invigorate you to more obedience.

Next we’ll look at why warnings work.

Song: O God Our Help Our Help In Ages Past

Song: Only Your Blood

Reading: Word of Assurance

 Romans 8:1 says

 There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 Even though we’ve been conceived in sin. Even though, like sheep, we’ve all gone astray. Even though none of us sought after God. Even though we haven’t feared God. Even though we’re not righteous. Even though we’re sons of destruction.. we can rest in the fact that there is no condemnation because of Christ. Because of his substitutionary obedience and sacrifice God loves us as much as he loves Christ. Read Romans 8:38 and 39 with me…

 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Song: Matchless Grace

Song: Glorious Day

Sermon

COMMUNION & OFFERING READING:

Loving God, You have given us a share in the one bread and the one cup and made us one with Jesus.
We thank you for your loving grace. Amen.

With joy we bring our offering. All that we give, we dedicate to your glory. All that we keep, we commit to your care,
All that we have is yours. Amen.

Communion

Communion Song: Nothing But The Blood

Song: Just and the Justifier

PSALM 46

“How Firm A Foundation”

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

“We Are Listening”

“The Water and the Blood”

RESPONSIVE READING

“Only Hope”

PASSING OF THE PEACE

SERMON

COMMUNION

“Death Has Lost Its Sting”

RESPONSIVE READING

“Victory In Jesus”

BENEDICTION