New Life Presbyterian Church of La Mesa

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What It Means to Be a Gospel Community

Rev. Dr. Joel E. Wood

Sunday, January 4, 2026

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by Pastor Joel E. Wood

What It Means to Be a Gospel Community

Ephesians 2:17-22

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Ephesians+2:17-22

https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide

CCLI License #390757

9:30a Service

Welcome and Announcements

Introit

GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 150:1-6

Leader: Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!

People: Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Leader: Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

People: Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Leader: Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

All: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING

Hymnal #660 "O God beyond All Praising”

O God beyond all praising, we worship you today
and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder at every gift you send,
at blessings without number and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you and wait upon your word,
we honor and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor may serve you as our King;
and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,
we'll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.

REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW

Leader: The preface to the Ten Commandments is:

People: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Leader: Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

People: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Hymnal #586 “Take My Life, and Let It Be”

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Elder Brad Tidwell

Psalm 33:6-22 "The Lord by His Word Has Created”

The LORD by His word has created the heavens;

And He by His breath made the stars come to be.

The depths of the ocean He heaps up together,

And puts in a storehouse the waves of the sea.

So let all the earth and its people revere Him,

And in the LORD’s presence with awe let them stand.

He spoke, it was done, and continues to stand fast;

It all was accomplished when He gave command.

The LORD brings to nothing the plans of the nations;

He frustrates their counsel and makes their schemes fail.

But all that the LORD in His heart has intended,

The plans He has made will forever prevail.

The nation the LORD has embraced is most blessed,

Where He is acknowledged to be God alone,

This people He claims, His inherited portion,

The ones He has chosen and calls as His own.

The LORD looks from heaven to see all of mankind,

He looks from His throne on all dwelling on earth –

The same One who made them, who all their hearts fashioned,

Who knows what they do and considers its worth.

The king is not saved by the strength of his army;

The soldier as well should not trust his own might.

The strength of a horse does not make rescue certain;

A horse is a false hope for winning the fight.

Behold, the LORD’s eye is upon all who trust Him,

Who hope in His love and, in awe, Him revere.

They trust that from death He will rescue and save them,

And keep them all living when famine comes near.

The LORD we await is our help and protection,

Our heart is glad trusting in His holy name.

O LORD, let Your covenant love be upon us,

As we hold to You and the hope that we claim.

GOD’S WORD READ Ephesians 2:17-22

GOD’S WORD PREACHED. “What It Means to Be a Gospel Community (A Gospel Community)” by Pastor Joel E. Wood

Prayer Of Application & The Lord’s Prayer

All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Song “The Power of The Cross”

Oh to see the dawn of the darkest day,

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus 1:

This the pow'r of the cross,

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath;

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh to see the pain written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought, ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow. [Chorus]

Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath

Quakes as its maker bows his head.

Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life.

“Finished!” the vict'ry cry. [Chorus]

Oh to see my name written in the wounds,

For through Your suff'ring I am free.

Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live

Won through Your selfless cry!

Chorus 2:

This the pow'r of the cross,

Son of God slain for us.

What a life, what a cost;
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Hymnal p. 845 “Apostles’ Creed”

Minister: Christian, what do you believe?

All: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Words of Institution & Warning

Minister: The Lord be with you;

People: And also with you.

Minister: Lift up your hearts;

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

COMMUNION PRAYER

Approach the Table for the Lord’s Supper

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Song “Trisagion”