New Life Presbyterian Church of La Mesa

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Alive Again

Rev. Dr. Joel E. Wood

Sunday, March 8, 2026

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by Pastor Joel E. Wood

Alive Again

Acts 20:7-12

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Acts+20:7-12

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

CCLI License #390757

9:30a Service

Welcome and Announcements

Choral Introit. “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea;

There’s a kindness in his justice which is more than liberty.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows are more felt than up in heaven;

There is no place where earth’s failings have such kindly judgement given.

For the love of God is broader than the measure of man’s mind;

And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.

But we make his love too narrow by false limits of our own;

And we magnify his strictness with a zeal he will not own.

There is plentiful redemption in the blood that has been shed;

There is joy for all the members in the sorrows of the Head.

There is grace enough for thousands of new worlds as great as this.

There is room for fresh creations in that upper home of bliss.

If our love were but more simple we should take him at his word;

And our lives would be all gladness in the joy of Christ our Lord.

Text: Frederick William Faber (v,7 altered); (1814-63)

Music: Maurice Bevan (1921-2006)

GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 111:1–2

Leader: Praise the Lord!

People: I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Leader: Great are the works of the Lord.

All: Studied by all who delight in them.

PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING

Song “O Church Arise”

O Church, arise, and put your armour on;

Hear the call of Christ our Captain.

For now the weak can say that they are strong,

In the strength that God has given.

With shield of faith and belt of truth,

We'll stand against the devil's lies;

An army bold, whose battle cry is Love,

Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul,

But to rage against the captor;

And with the sword that makes the wounded whole,

We will fight with faith and valour.

When faced with trials on ev’ry side,

We know the outcome is secure.

And Christ will have the prize for which He died,

An inheritance of nations.

Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet,

As the Son of God is stricken;

Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,

For the Conqueror has risen.

And as the stone is rolled away

And Christ emerges from the grave,

This vict’ry march continues till the day

Ev’ry eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit, come, put strength in ev’ry stride,

Give grace for ev’ry hurdle;

That we may run with faith, to win the prize

Of a servant, good and faithful.

As saints of old still line the way,

Retelling triumphs of His grace,

We hear their calls, and hunger for the day

When, with Christ, we stand in glory.

Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

@2005 Thankyou Music Ltd

CCLI License #390757

REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW

Leader: The Seventh Commandment is: You shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

People: For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5)

Leader: For you may be sure of this,

People: That everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:5)

SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE 1 Peter 1:3

Hymnal #686 “Kind and Merciful God, We Have Sinned”

Kind and merciful God,

We have sinned in Your sight,

We have all wandered

Far from Your way;

We have followed desire,

We have failed to aspire

To the virtue we

Ought to display.

Kind and merciful God,

We've neglected Your Word

And the truth that would

Guide us aright;

We have lived in the shade

Of the dark we have made,

When You willed us

To walk in the light.

Kind and merciful God,

We have broken Your laws

And in conduct have

Veered from the norm;

We have dreamed of the good,

But the good that we could

We have frequently failed to perform.

Kind and merciful God,

In Christ's death on the cross

You provided a cleansing from sin;

Speak the words that forgive

That henceforth we may live

By the might of Your Spirit within.

Kind and merciful God,

Bid us lift up our heads

And command us to rise from our knees;

May our hearts now be changed

And no longer estranged,

Through the pow'r of

Your pardon and peace.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Elder Dean Abbott

Hymnal #85 ""The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want”

The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;

he makes me down to lie

in pastures green; he leadeth me

the quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again;

and me to walk doth make

within the paths of righteousness,

e'en for his own name's sake.

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,

yet will I fear none ill,

for thou art with me; and thy rod

and staff me comfort still.

My table thou hast furnished

in presence of my foes;

my head thou dost with oil anoint,

and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life

shall surely follow me:

and in God's house forevermore

my dwelling place shall be.

GOD’S WORD READ Acts 20:7-12

GOD’S WORD PREACHED. “Alive Again” 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.

Hymnal #162. "Of the Father's Love Begotten”

Of the Father's love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the Source, the Ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessed,
when the Virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race;
and the babe, the world's Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore!

This is he whom heav'n-taught singers
sang of old with one accord,
whom the Scriptures of the prophets
promised in their faithful word;
now he shines, the long-expected;
let creation praise its Lord,
evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heav'n, adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
all dominions, bow before him
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
ev'ry voice in concert ring,
evermore and evermore!

Christ, to thee, with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn, and chant, and high thanksgiving,
and unwearied praises be,
honor, glory, and dominion,
and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore!

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 #95. “Now To Him Who Is Able”