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.

CONSISTORY PLANNING A NEW BEGINNINGS REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION Coming in our September Newsletter

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 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 [ Pastor / CONGREGATION] Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? HAVE YOU NOT HEARD? The Lord is the everlasting God! HE IS THE CREATOR of the ends of the earth; HE WILL NEVER GROW TIRED

His understanding NO ONE CAN FATHOM. He gives strength to the discouraged; HE INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK. Even young people grow tired AND BECOME FATIGUED, Even young men and women WILL STUMBLE AND FALL.

But they that wait upon the Lord WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; They will mount up WITH WINGS AS EAGLES; They will run and not be weary. THEY WILL WALK AND NOT FAINT.

**THE OPENING HYMN #128 I SING THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD [ All who are able please stand ]

(1) I sing the mighty power of God That made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule by day; The moon shines full at His command And all the stars obey.

(2) I sing the goodness of the Lord That filled the earth with food; He formed the creatures with His Word And then pronounced them good. Lord, how Your wonders are displayed Where e’er I turn my eye. If I survey the ground I tread Or gaze upon the sky!

(3) There’s not a plant or flower below But makes Your glories known; And clouds arise and tempests blow By order from Your throne. While all that borrows life from You Is ever in Your care, And everywhere that we can be, You, God, are present there.

SILENT PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON Psalm 32:1-2 Happy is the person whose transgressions are covered, whose sins are forgiven. Blessed is the person to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

THE SONG OF RESPONSE

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

THE HEBREW SCRIPTURE 1 SAMUEL 8:4-9; All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the L ORD.

And the L ORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the L ORD. The L ORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

‘FATHER, I ADORE YOU’ Father, I adore You, Lay my life before You; How I love You. Jesus, I adore You, Lay my life before You; How I love You. Spirit, I adore You, Lay my life before You; How I love You.

THE SERMON THE BLURRING OF RIGHT AND WRONG LUKE 8:40-56 Bayshore Gardens Community Church Dr. Daniel Herlein

WHAT IS MORAL RELATIVISM? The belief that absolute truth does not exist, but that truth is relative to one’s particular situation. >> personal choice >> tolerance >> political correctness Rejecting the Biblical principle that there exists an absolute standard of right and wrong.

The Bible teaches that there are some things that truly are RIGHT and truly are WRONG for ALL people, at ALL times, in ALL places. PROVERBS 14:12 - There is a way that seems right to men and women but in the end it leads to eternal loss! (Spiritual death i.e., separation from God)

When we make wrong choices, THEN we suffer the consequences. It all, quite literally, boils down to TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES! “The Everyone else is doing it” mentality, therefore, it must be O.K.

Francis Schaeffer from his book, ‘How Then Shall We Live:’ ‘If there is no absolute moral standard, then one cannot say, in a final sense, that anything is right or wrong. By absolute we mean that which always applies, that which provides a final or absolute standard.”

There must be an absolute if there are to be morals. There must be an absolute if there are to be real values. If there is no absolute beyond man’s ideas, then there is no final appeal to judge between individuals and groups whose moral judgments conflict. If there is no absolute, we are left only with conflicting opinions.” (See Ecclesiastes 12:13

Our challenge is to know God for who He is and to revere him as Almighty, Sovereign God. Our challenge is to resist the cultural shift that has rejected God as the sole arbiter of truth. Our challenge is to acknowledge that God and God alone defines right and wrong.

Our challenge is to model before our families our friends our church our students our community our clubs that God alone defines right and wrong.

Our challenge is diligently teach our children and our grand-children to revere God and to keep His commandments, because God’s truth is right and proper and beneficial for all people, at all times, in all places. (See Hebrews 12:1)

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 “BE THOU MY VISION” Harriet Hoeksema, organist

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

THE CLOSING HYMN #674 Please use words on the screen ‘WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?’

Who is on the Lord’s side?(1) Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go? By Your call of mercy, through Your gracious doors, We are on the Lord’s side, Savior, we are Yours!

Not for weight of glory, (2) nor for crown and palm, Enter we His army, raise the warrior psalm; But for love that claims us, lives for whom He died: He whom Jesus calls now must be on His side. By His love constraining, through His gracious doors, We are on the Lord’s side, Savior, we are Yours!

Jesus, You have bought us,(3) not with gold or gem, But with Your own life blood, for Your glory shine; With Your blessing filling each who comes to You, You have made us willing, You have made us free. By Your grand redemption, through Your gracious doors, We are on the Lord’s side, Savior, we are Yours!

Fierce may be the conflict,(4) strong may be the foe, But the King’s own army, none can overthrow; ’Round His standard gather, vict’ry is secure, For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure. Joyfully enlisting, through His gracious doors, We are on the Lord’s side, Savior, we are Yours!

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