WEEKLY BULLETIN
September 20, 2020
Prelude
Announcements
Worship Songs
Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)
God So Loved
Who You Are
Prayer
NovaKids Meet Teachers
Sermon
James 5:13-18
Just Like Elijah
The Lord's Supper
Worship Song
God So Loved
Benediction
Announcements
The Lord's Supper
- We will be observing the Lord’s Supper today. Please have one person from your group pick up some of the pre-packaged cups with wafers at the Information Tent.
- If you would like to have a pre-packaged cup with a wafer delivered to your car, please turn your hazard lights on.
- If you're joining us from home, we encourage you to simply find a reasonable substitute from what you have.
Classes
- We have our first ever online Nova Class titled "Creation Care in the Bible" which will start in a couple of weeks. If you are interested in signing up for this class, or just want to learn more about it, you can visit novachurch.org/creation.
Small Groups
- We believe small groups are so important, especially during this time. We want you to be connected, but we know that not everyone has the same comfort level. For our Fall quarter, most of our groups will be meeting virtually.
- Nova small groups are smaller communities of people (usually about 8-14) who meet regularly to share, pray, read God’s Word and care for each other in practical ways. Groups meet on different nights of the week, and most of them will meet weekly.
- If you are interested in joining a group, or would like more information, email Pastor Adam Duchin: adamduchin@novachurch.org
Food Collection & Distribution
- Nova Community Church is partnering with Victory Christian Fellowship to host "Boxes of Blessings: A Community Food Distribution" that will serve anyone in our local context who is in need of food.
- To find out how you can participate, visit here.
Serving at Nova
- Interested in serving at Nova? Visit the table by the information tent to learn more or visit here on our website.
Children's Ministry
- NovaKids (grades K-5) will be meeting during the service. Please check in ahead of time at the NovaKids tent. Children will stay with their family until after the worship songs when they will be dismissed to meet their teachers. For more information, please visit our Children's Ministry page.
Giving
- If you would like to give tithes, offerings, or to the Open Campaign, please use the drop box located under the Information Tent.
- If you are in your car, please turn your hazard lights on and an usher will help you.
- Visit novachurch.org/giving for online giving.
Prayer
- At the end of the worship service, Prayer Team members (light blue vests) are available in front of the platform.
- If you are in your car and would like prayer, please turn your hazard lights on at the end of the worship service.
- You can always email prayer requests to prayer@novachurch.org and they will be sent out to the prayer team.
WORSHIP SONGS
Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)
Verse 1
Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You
We long for You
Pre-Chorus
'Cause when we see You we find strength
To face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away
Washed away
Chorus
Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus
Verse 2
Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new
You make us new
Ending
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna
God So Loved
Verse 1
Come all you weary
Come all you thirsty
Come to the well that never runs dry
Drink of the water
Come and thirst no more
Verse 2
Come all you sinners
Come find His mercy
Come to the table, He will satisfy
Taste of His goodness
Find what you're looking for
Chorus 1
For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
Verse 3
Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
With open arms
Chorus 2
For God so loved He world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
The power of hell forever defeated
Now it is well, I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved, God so loved the world
Bridge
Praise God, praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, praise Him
For the wonders of His love
Chorus 3
For God so loved He world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save…
For God so loved He world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
The power of hell forever defeated
Now it is well, I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved, God so loved the world
Ending
Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting…
God so loved the world
Who You Are
Verse 1
Your glory speaks in every language
Across the sky to every nation
You are beauty un-imagined
This is who You are
Verse 2
You are the Lord of my salvation
You are the One who lights my way
Through the dark night You will lead me
This is who You are
This is who You are
Chorus
So lift it up, lift it up
Endless praises to our God
Full of grace, full of love
And He's reigning over us
I know, You are faithful
You are worthy God
This is who You are
Verse 3
Day and night the angels sing it
Holy, holy is the Lord
There's none more worthy to receive it
This is who You are
Bridge
You hear the cry of every broken heart
You give the hopeless soul a brand new start
You lead the captive in Your freedom song
This is who You are
And in the night when all our hope is lost
You are the One who won't give up on us
You hold the orphan in Your loving arms
This is who You are
This is who You are
This is who You are
Vamp
Lift it up, lift it up
Lift it up, lift it up
Chorus 2
So lift it up, lift it up
Endless praises to our God
Full of grace, full of love
And He's reigning over us
So lift it up, lift it up
Endless praises to our God
Full of grace, full of love
And He's reigning over us
I know, You are faithful
You are worthy God
This is who You are
SERMON NOTES
Just Like Elijah
Steadfast – Part 17
September 20th 2020
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:13-18
The story behind the text:
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
1 Kings 17:1
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him.
1 Kings 16:29-30
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
1 Kings 17:2-3
“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the LORD, “LORD my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?”
1 Kings 17:19-20
Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the LORD, “LORD my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
The LORD heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”
1 Kings 17:21-24
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
But the people said nothing.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”
1 Kings 18:21-24
At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!”
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the LORD came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:36-46
Understanding prayer from the scriptures:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2
Three tips for understanding prayer:
1. Prayer is defined by the whole Bible not just by a few verses.
2. Prayer is more about connecting with God than getting from God.
3. Prayer is an act of obedience more than desperation.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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Small Group Questions
Ice Breaker
What is your most memorable experience with prayer?
First Impressions
In our series on the book of James, what was most challenging, helpful or interesting to you? Is there something that you disagreed with or were confused about?
Digging Deeper in the Text
Read James 5:13-18
1. What do the following scriptures reveal to us about what can be accomplished by prayer?
- Colossians 1:9-13
- Ephesians 3:16-18
- Philemon 1:6
2. Nehemiah was a man whose life went far beyond just asking God for what he wanted.
- Read Nehemiah 1:1-10 and write down any insights from the communication that Nehemiah has with God.
- How might these insights help you to grow in your own prayer life?
3. Of the three tips for understanding prayer better, which one resonates with you the most? Why?