Brothers and Sisters,

Before the Lord tells us of the difficulties ahead in Revelation, He prepares us by telling us the end of the story – the coming of the Lord in the clouds as He promised in Acts 1:11. This takes the scare out of Revelation but only for the believer. Many people read Revelation and are terrified. No need for that (f you love the Lord). In our text for Sunday, we see the triumph of grace and peace and that Jesus is coming back in victorious glory. He comes back in the clouds and everyone will see it. He will reign. He is the “Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…: “the Almighty.”

Women’s mentoring is at the Brown’s Barn at 10:00. The ladies will continue their story of Eve in Exile and Scott Brown will take the children for a study of clouds in the Bible and Jesus as the Lion in Revelation (part of our studies in Revelation).

The songs we will be singing on Sunday morning to take us into the truth of Revelation chapter 1 are,

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMY3ivdNzwE)

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M2f_chKVOM)

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsXcCdWjsmg)

In Christ Alone

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY4CW5pte98)

Lead on, O King Eternal

   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeMWySjbaRE)

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee

God of glory, Lord of love

Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee

Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness

Drive the dark of doubt away

Giver of immortal gladness

Fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee

Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays

Stars and angels sing around Thee

Center of unbroken praise

Field and forest, vale and mountain

Flowery meadow, flashing sea

Chanting bird and flowing fountain

Call us to rejoice in Thee!

Thou art giving and forgiving

Ever blessing, ever blest

Wellspring of the joy of living

Ocean depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother

All who live in love are Thine

Teach us how to love each other

Lift us to the joy divine!

Mortals join the mighty chorus

Which the morning stars began

Love divine is reigning o’er us

Leading us with mercy’s hand

Ever singing, march we onward

Victors in the midst of strife

Joyful music leads us sunward

In the triumph song of life

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free

From our fears and sins release us

Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel’s Strength and Consolation

Hope of all the earth Thou art

Dear Desire of every nation

Joy of every longing heart

Joy to those who long to see Thee

Dayspring from on high, appear

Come, Thou promised Rod of Jesse

Of Thy birth we long to hear!

O’er the hills the angels singing

News, glad tidings of a birth

‘Go to Him, your praises bringing;

Christ the Lord has come to earth’

Born Thy people to deliver

Born a child and yet a King

Born to reign in us forever

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone

By Thine all-sufficient merit

Raise us to Thy glorious throne

Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Aberystwyth)

Jesus, Lover of my soul,

Let me to Thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll,

While the tempest still is high:

Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,

Till the storm of life is past;

Safe into the haven guide,

O receive my soul at last!

Other refuge have I none,

Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;

Leave, ah! leave me not alone,

Still support and comfort me!

All my trust on Thee is stayed,

All my help from Thee I bring;

Cover my defenseless head

With the shadow of Thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want;

More than all in Thee I find:

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,

Heal the sick, and lead the blind.

Just and holy is Thy Name;

I am all unrighteousness;

False and full of sin I am,

Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found,

Grace to cover all my sin;

Let the healing streams abound;

Make and keep me pure within:

Thou of life the Fountain art,

Freely let me take of Thee;

Spring Thou up within my heart,

Rise to all eternity.

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

Till 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

Sin’s 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 life’s first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

Lead on, O King Eternal

Lead on, O King eternal,

The day of march has come;

Henceforth in fields of conquest

Thy tents shall be our home:

Through days of preparation

Thy grace has made us strong,

And now, O King eternal,

We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King eternal,

Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,

And Holiness shall whisper

The sweet amen of peace;

For not with swords loud clashing,

Nor roll of stirring drums,

But deeds of love and mercy,

The heav’nly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King eternal,

We follow, not with fears;

For gladness breaks like morning

Where’er Thy face appears;

Thy cross is lifted o’er us;

We journey in its light:

The crown awaits the conquest;

Lead on, O God of might.