Shelters & Harvest Offering
20 October 2024
Scroll down to follow along with Bible readings and song lyrics.
Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7
Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.
For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
Song 1: Lion and the Lamb
He's coming on the clouds
Kings and kingdoms will bow down
And every chain will break
As broken hearts declare His praise
For who can stop the Lord Almighty
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And our God is the lion
The Lion of Judah
He's roaring with power
And fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before Him
Our God is the lamb
The lamb that was slain
For the sins of the world
His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow before the lion and the lamb
Every knee will bow before Him
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So, open up the gates
Make way before the King of Kings
The God who comes to save
Is here to set the captives free
For who can stop the Lord Almighty
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Our God is the lion
The Lion of Judah
He's roaring with power
And fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before Him
Our God is the lamb
The lamb that was slain
For the sin of the world
His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow before the lion and the lamb
Every knee will bow before Him
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For who can stop the Lord Almighty
Who can stop the Lord Almighty
Bible Reading: Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favour with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Song 2: Highest Place
From the heights of heaven
To the depths below
Laid aside your glory
Made our frame your own
You chose humble weakness
Bore the sins of many
Submitted to the Father's will and plan
You said
Not my will but yours be done
Let your glory be seen in the Son
Now you are exalted
Seated in the highest place
King of all kings
One day every knee will bow
And every tongue confess
That you are Lord
Jesus is Lord
All blessing
All honour
All glory
Be to you my King
Song 3: How Long
All creation groans and waits
For the dawning of that day
When you return
In righteousness you will come
Shining like the morning sun
King of Glory
So we hold on to this hope
Our eyes fixed on you
How long until you come,
Come and split the skies
Make the wrong things right
How long until you come
The Spirit and the Bride say
Come Lord Jesus come
On the day that you return
All the peoples of the earth
Will bow before you
King of kings and Lord of lords
You are worthy of it all
Jesus
No more tears
No more pain
No more crying
When you come to reign
There will be joy
When we see you face to face
Song 4: We Lift You Up
The Architect who called the mountains forth
The Dreamer who imagined all the earth
The Redeemer who ascribes the soul its worth
Jesus, we worship You
There's glory in the beating of Your heart
For immortality was Yours to start
And if You don't speak creation falls apart
Jesus, we worship You
We lift You up, we lift You up
Oh Jesus, we lift You up
Be glorified, be glorified
Oh Jesus, be glorified
You make the blind to see, the lame to walk
You reach to the accused without a pause
To our weak and trembling faith
You are the rockJesus, we worship You
We lift You up, we lift You up
Oh Jesus, we lift You up
Be glorified, be glorified
Oh Jesus, be glorified
All thrones and powers know You are the king
For thousands of their best fall short to bring
Just an ounce of all the strength that's in Your being
Jesus, we worship You
Jesus, we worship You
Song 5: Praise
I'll praise in the valley
Praise on the mountain
I'll praise when I'm sure
Praise when I'm doubting
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I'll praise when outnumbered
Praise when surrounded
'Cause praise is the water
My enemies drown in
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As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason to
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Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
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I'll praise when I feel it
And I'll praise when I don't
I'll praise 'cause I know
You're still in control
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Because my praise is a weapon
It's more than a sound
Oh, my praise is the shout
That brings Jericho down
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As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason to
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Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
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I won't be quiet, my God is alive
So how could I keep it inside?
Praise the Lord
Oh, my soul
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I'll praise 'cause You're sovereign
Praise 'cause You reign
Praise 'cause You rose and defeated the grave
I'll praise 'cause You're faithful
Praise 'cause You're true
Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than You
Luke 19:11-28
The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 
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He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’  But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’
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“After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’
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“‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’
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“The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’
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“‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’ 
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“But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’
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“‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
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“Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’
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“‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’
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“‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
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And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king - bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”
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After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.