Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This week, prayer will be held at the Brown Barn.

On Sunday we will be having a quarterly meeting and a Sunday afternoon teaching time. We will be speaking about the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage. For daily updates on the matter, go to www.defendingmarriage.com

Our text for Sunday: Isaiah 51:17:23

Isaiah continues to speak to a people who feel that God has abandoned them. Now, in 51:17-23, Isaiah continues to argue for the faithfulness of God to a people who will be despondent as a result of the afflictions God will bring upon them (remember, Isaiah is prophesying of things that are over 100 years in the future. He uses vivid imagery of a drunken woman, a cup of wrath, sons fainting in the streets, men lying down and being walked over, and finally – the cup of wrath taken from one and given to another. This image, of the cup of wrath transferred is the great hope – the hope of the gospel where the cup of the wrath of God is shifted to His Son Jesus Christ.

In the context, God is answering a question which was raised in Isaiah 49:14. Zion feels forsaken, so she says, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” They are enduring the hardships of captivity and the people of God feel like giving up.  After Isaiah 49:14, every section through 52:12 is God’s answer to the question. These are words from God for how He comforts His people in their afflictions. Thus, in 49:14-52:12 God is arguing with His people, affirming His love for them during the hardships of their captivity.

On Sunday, we will be singing the following songs:

I will glory in my Redeemer

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Be Still My Soul

Immovable Our Hope Remains

Arise, My Soul, Arise

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer’s praise

The glories of my God and King

The triumphs of His grace

Jesus! the name that charms our fears

That bids our sorrows cease

‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears

‘Tis life and health and peace

He breaks the pow’r of cancelled sin

He sets the prisoner free

His blood can make the foulest clean

His blood availed for me

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb

Your loosened tongues employ

Ye blind, behold your Savior come

And leap, ye lame, for joy

My gracious Master and my God

Assist me to proclaim

To spread thro’ all the earth abroad

The honors of Thy name

I Will Glory in My Redeemer

I will glory in my Redeemer

Whose priceless blood has ransomed me

Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails

And hung Him on that judgment tree

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who crushed the power of sin and death

My only Savior before the holy Judge

The Lamb who is my righteousness

The Lamb who is my righteousness

I will glory in my Redeemer

My life He bought, my love He owns

I have no longings for another

I’m satisfied in Him alone

I will glory in my Redeemer

His faithfulness my standing place

Though foes are mighty and rush upon me

My feet are firm, held by His grace

My feet are firm, held by His grace

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who carries me on eagles’ wings

He crowns my life with lovingkindness

His triumph song I’ll ever sing

I will glory in my Redeemer

Who waits for me at gates of gold

And when He calls me, it will be paradise

His face forever to behold

His face forever to behold

Be Still My Soul

Be still my soul!  The Lord is on thy side

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain

Leave to thy God to order and provide

In every change He faithful will remain

Be still my soul!  Thy best, thy heav’nly Friend

Thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still my soul!  Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as He has the past

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake

All now mysterious shall be bright at last

Be still my soul!  The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below

Be still my soul!  The hour is hast’ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored

Be still my soul!  When change and tears are past

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last

Immovable Our Hope Remains

Immovable our hope remains

Though shifting sands before us lie

The One who washed away our stains

Shall bear us safely to the skies

The floods may rise, the winds may beat

Torrential rains descend

Yet God His own will not forget

He’ll love and keep us till the end

You’ll love and keep us till the end

This is eternal life: to know

The living God and Christ, the Son

The Savior will not let us go

Until His saving work is done

Our debt was great, as was our need

But now the price is paid

Who can behold Immanuel bleed

And doubt His willingness to save?

We trust Your willingness to save

The Lord acquits, who can condemn?

Though Satan’s accusations fly

His pow’r can never reach our names

To blot them from the Book of Life

The Son has surely made us free

His Word forever stands

And all our joy is knowing we

Are graven on His wounded hands

We’re graven on Your wounded hands

Built into Christ, secure we stand

For with His Spirit we’ve been sealed

By grace we’ll see the promised land

Where every sorrow shall be healed

To God who gave His only Son

To Jesus Christ, our Lord

To God the Spirit, Three-in-one

Be songs of praise forevermore

We’ll sing Your praise forevermore

Arise, My Soul, Arise

Arise, my soul, arise,

Shake off thy guilty fears:

The bleeding Sacrifice

In my behalf appears:

Before the Throne my Surety stands,

Before the Throne my Surety stands,

My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above,

For me to intercede,

His all-redeeming love,

His precious blood to plead;

His blood atoned for ev’ry race,

His blood atoned for ev’ry race,

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears,

Received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers,

They strongly plead for me;

Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,

Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,

Nor let that ransomed sinner die!

My God is reconciled;

His pard’ning voice I hear;

He owns me for His child,

I can no longer fear;

With confidence I now draw nigh,

With confidence I now draw nigh,

And “Father, Abba, Father!” cry.

Amen