Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MEMBERS, REGULAR ATTENDERS, and THOSE VISITING TODAY. If you are visiting with us, we welcome you to our church! You are no longer a stranger for you are with the people of God.

WE INVITE YOU TO SIGN THE WHITE ATTENDANCE PAD so that we may celebrate your presence with us today! Please pass it on to the next person and then back down the row

Please Take Your Bulletins Home With You and Read the Announcements We invite you to take advantage of the many opportunities for fellowship and service

Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

THE CALL TO WORSHIP Based on Psalm 95:1-3 O come, let us sing and make a joyful noise unto the Lord, our God. LET US MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION FOR HE IS TO BE GREATLY PRAISED.

Let us come into His presence with much thanksgiving and tribute. LET US REJOICE AND OFFER GLAD SOUNDS OF PRAISE UNTO OUR GOD. The Lord, our God, is the great God over all that is, was or ever will be. COME LET US WORSHIP THE LORD, OUR CREATOR AND OUR REDEEMER.

**THE OPENING HYMN #434 ‘REVIVE US AGAIN’

We praise You, O God for the Son of Your love For Jesus, who died and is now gone above. Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Revive us again.

We praise you, O God, For your Spirit of Light, Who has shown us our Savior And scattered our night. Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Revive us again.

All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain, Who has borne all our sins And has cleansed every stain. Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Revive us again.

Revive us again, Fill each heart with Your love. May each soul be rekindled With fire from above. Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Yours the glory! Revive us again.

SILENT PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON Nehemiah 9:17b; Colossians 3:13 God is a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

THE CHANCEL CHOIR “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” Donna Brown, Director Pat Woods, Accompanist

A TIME OF SHARING WITH GOD’S CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

The U.S. Bill of Rights includes >> Freedom of religion >> FREEDOM OF THE PRESS >> The right to bear arms >> Security against unreasonable search and seizure >> The right to trial by jury >> The right to peaceable assembly (See the first ten Consitutional Amendments)

Romans 8:1-11 Read by Elder Neil VanDerJagt There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sin nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sin nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled NOT by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, IF the Spirit of God lives in you.

And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

BIND US TOGETHER: #425 Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken; Bind us together, Lord; Bind us together with love.

There is only one God; There is only one King; There is only one body; That is why we can sing: Bind us together, Lord; Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken; Bind us together, Lord; Bind us together with love.

THE SERMON NO STRINGS ATTACHED Bayshore Gardens Community Church Dr. Daniel Herlein

AN INBORN PREDISPOSITION TO SIN: Psalms 51:5 - Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me in her womb. Romans 5:12 and 5:19 - Sin entered the world through one person, Adam, and death through sin, and in this way sin came to all persons. Through the disobedience of Adam all who followed were born sinners.

THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH, Chapter 6 Our first parents disobeyed God in eating the forbidden fruit. By this sin, they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin. From our first parents, being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was passed on. This same death in sin and corrupted nature was conveyed to all their posterity.

FROM THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM Question 7. From where does the depravity of human nature come? Answer: From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise; Hence, our nature is so corrupt, that we are all conceived and born in sin.

FROM THE CANONS OF DORDT Article 1: Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. (Romans 3:19; 3:23; 6:23).

What happens when the sin nature is not subjected to God’s standards (Romans 1:29 ‑ 31) A pretty good description of a typical evening of prime-time television

Freedom from God’s expectations is NOT a life of perfect freedom When we live without limits, we become slaves to our sin nature

The Bad News (Romans 8:6) Paul uses the word “Flesh” (σαρκ ὸ ς) here to describe our state of being when our focus is ONLY ON OURSELVES, >> what I want >> what I need >> what I think I deserve >> my thoughts >> my decisons >> my lifestyle >> my priorities.

The Good News: (Romans 8:6b) To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace Paul uses the word “Spirit” ( πνεύματος) to describe our state of being when our focus is >> on what GOD wants >> on what GOD expects >> on what GOD deserves >> on the standards GOD has established for our own good

MORE GOOD NEWS Romans 8:1-2 There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me FREE from the law of sin and death.

THE MARVELOUS PARADOX OF OUR FAITH The truest form of freedom comes when we recognize that following God’s expectations will make us much more free and happy than if we choose to live the way we want outside of God’s divine parameters.

The Parable of the little kite that wanted to be free !

APPLICATION >> When we are connected to God... >> When we obediently follow His expectations... we're a whole lot better off than we are flying off on our own and getting ourselves entangled, snared and torn in the branches of potentially self- destructive practices. (Romans 8:11)

How WELL CONNECTED are you to God? Romans 8:6 - “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace”

The Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS; AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER AMEN.

OUR OFFERING As A Tangible Expression Of Our Gratitude To God, We Joyfully Offer Our Monetary Gifts To Financially Support God's Work At Bayshore Gardens Community Church

OFFERTORY MUSIC “I Walk in Peace with God” Pat Woods on piano

THE 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. AMEN

Please see Communion Insert THE ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF AN ELDER

THE CLOSING HYMN #492 At Calvary

(1) Years I spent in vanity and pride, Caring not my Lord was crucified, Knowing not it was for me He died On Calvary. Mercy there was great, And grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me; There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary.

(2) By God’s Word at last my sin I learned; Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, Till my guilty soul imploring turned To Calvary. Mercy there was great, And grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me; There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary.

(3) Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything, Now I gladly own Him as my King, Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary! Mercy there was great, And grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me; There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary

(4) Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan! Oh, the grace that brought it down to man! Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary! Mercy there was great, And grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me; There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary

THE PASTORAL BENEDICTION Go forth from this place as God’s elect and covenant people... AMEN

Join us for refreshments in the Fellowship Hall