July 16, 2023 10AM

In consideration of others and as guests of West High School . . .

• Please silence your phone and watch.
• Name tags are a great start to a meaningful connection. Thanks for wearing one.
• If you’d like to give an offering, there are two baskets in the back or you can use the “Giving” tab at the bottom-right corner of the mobile app.
• Thank you for sitting close and singing loud. Let’s bring our full engagement and best attitude as we worship together.

PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Joel 2:12 

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6 

But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4 

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18 

Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
1 Corinthians 8:8 

“When I had been fasting, praying, obeying, I thought I was aiming at the glory of God, [I thought I was doing it for his glory], but I was doing it for my own glory — to feel I was worthy. As long as I was doing all this to earn my salvation, I was doing nothing for God, all for me! I realized that all my struggling to become worthy was an exercise in self-worship. I was actually trying to avoid God as savior [in all of my efforts to find him.] I was not worshiping him, but using him.”
– David Brainerd

“Fasting is a way of humbling yourself. It’s a way of denying yourself. It’s a way of saying, “Well, do you know what? I realize I’m a sinner saved by grace, so I will act humbly.”
– Tim Keller

WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP

For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5 

SONG

Doxology

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him, all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

All Creatures of Our God and King

[Verse 1]
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Oh Praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O, praise Him! O, praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

[Verse 2]
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in heaven along
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

[Verse 3]
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

SONG

Great is Our God

[Verse 1]
Come, let us praise Him
Let us kneel at the throne of our God
Through His Son our salvation was bought
With mercy and grace

Come, let us bow down
In His hands are the depths of the earth
With one voice we proclaim His great worth
Lord, our God

[Chorus]
And we will seek Him
Our Rock of Salvation
Morning by morning
With thanksgiving we come

And we will bow down
With creation we cry out
In daylight and darkness
We sing to the Lord

Great is our God
Great is our God
Great is our God

[Verse 2]
Lord of all nations
We will stand at the end of our days
In Your courts and declare Your great ways
In Spirit and Truth

We long for Your Kingdom
Bring Your thunder and gather the earth
All who tremble will tell of Your worth
Lord, our God

[Chorus]

CALL & RESPONSE: Isaiah 58:3-9a

PEOPLE:
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’

LEADER:
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.

PEOPLE:
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the Lord?

LEADER:
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

PEOPLE:
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

ALL:
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

SONG

The Church’s One Foundation

[Verse 1]
The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

[Verse 2]
Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

[Verse 3]
Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

[Verse 4]
Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.

[Bridge]
The Bridegroom’s coming for His bride

[Coda]
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bible Study: Hebrews – Chris Lau and Rebecca Wu will be leading separate men’s and women’s studies on the book of Hebrews, beginning on July 28.

Book Study: “Generous Justice” – Mike Sunu will be leading a study on “Generous Justice” which begins on July 30. You can register here. 

Summer Nights – Tonight we are meeting at the Manhattan Beach Pier to enjoy some fellowship and watch the sunset. We’ll meet on the pier at 7:30pm. The sun sets at 8:05pm. Come join us for some casual conversation and a visual reminder of God’s grace. 

Vessel Youth Group Summer Retreat– Our youth group will be having their summer retreat on July 30-Aug 1. The theme for our retreat is “King of Kings.” We can’t wait to see what God has in store for our youth and we’re so excited to spend this time together, growing in His word and in fellowship with one another. Registration for the event can be found here. If you have any questions, contact Johnny Park. 

OFFERTORY

If you would like to give electronically, you may do so using the “Giving” tab at the bottom-right corner of the mobile app. There are also white baskets in the back of our worship space, where you can give via check, made out to King’s Cross Church, or cash.

SERMON
“Feasting and Fasting”

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Mark 2:15-22

SONG

Fullness

[Verse 1]
Fullness of eternal promise
Stirring in Your sons and daughters
Earth revealing heaven’s wonders
Spirit come, Spirit come

What You spoke is now unfolding
All Your children shall behold it
Dreams awaken in this moment
Spirit come, Spirit come

[Chorus]
Pour it out
Let Your love run over
Here and now
Let Your glory fill this house

[Verse 2]
Now the world awaits Your presence
And this power is within us
We will rise to be Your witness
Spirit come, Spirit come

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Tongues of fire
testifying of the Son
One desire
Spirit come, Spirit come

Speak revival
prophesy like it is done
One desire
Spirit come, Spirit come

[Verse 3]
Let our hearts continue burning
For our King is soon returning
As we hold to this assurance
Spirit come, Spirit come
Spirit come, Spirit come

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

[Coda]
Let our hearts continue burning
For our King is soon returning

BENEDICTION