An angry young man storms into the shop, slams his fist against the counter and shouts at the employee, ‘Who is in charge around here?’ With just a few words you know there is unrest and frustration. Someone has been offended and is looking for answers. To get ‘satisfaction,’ we need to know who is calling the shots. In 1952, while speaking to 
the National War College, President Truman referenced a sign he had on his desk which read, ‘The buck stops here!’ A statement reassuring the nation, “I’m in charge.”
But when the ‘law of the land’ clashes with ‘God’s perfect law of liberty’ (James 2:25), we are left with angry men shouting, ‘Who is in charge?’ In 1974, Leonard Smith penned the words to a song that gives us the answer to our question. “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news. Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness, Our God reigns, our God reigns!” If you are wondering who is in charge of this life, and if you want to know Who has the answer to your questions, join us Sunday morning as we remember…God Still Reigns!
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, July 12, 2015
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“Come Thou, Almighty King” – 19
“Come Thou, Almighty King, help us Thy name to sing, help us to praise! Father all glorious, over all victorious, come and REIGN over us, Ancient of Days!” Do you see God as the One who reigns in your life? Can you trust that, ‘the buck stops’ with Him? When you do, then you’ll understand why His children long to see His sovereign majesty in glory. Where we will, for eternity, love and adore Him. (Which musically leads us to our next song…)
“O Come Let Us Adore Him” – 264
Many recognize this as the chorus to one of our ‘Christmas’ hymns. But today let me encourage you to sing it with ‘more understanding.’ This is a simple repeat of the cause for which we live, “O come let us adore Him…Christ the Lord!” Sometimes we can find a hymn of praise in the most basic of places.
“By Christ Redeemed” – 366
Breaking this hymn into two parts, we’ll sing verses 1-2 before the Lord’s Supper, then following the fruit of the vine we’ll close with verse 3. And yet for years I have sung this 3rd verse without knowing what I was singing. The message…“And thus that dark betrayal night with the last advent we unite, by one bright chain of loving rite, until He come.” We recognize ‘until He come’ from the words of Paul in I Corinthians 11:26, but what is the ‘last advent’ or the ‘loving rite?’ Understanding that an ‘advent’ is defined as ‘a coming’ and a rite is an act done continually, let’s try it again…”And because of that dark, betrayal night we are united knowing that He will come again (with the last advent). And as we continually, ritually (rite), keep the Lord’s Supper (the one bright chain of love), we keep it…until He come.”
“Sweet Adoration” – 253
Sung during the passing of the collection plate, this contemporary song reminds us that God reigns in our hearts. How often, how clearly does our adoration flow to the throne of God? Are we, as His children, constantly giving Him our praise? We would do well to remember that He is the Divine One who still reigns!
“Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place” – 398
Following the prayer, we’ll transition to this reminder that God is with us. Our God STILL REIGNS is in this place!
“The Love of God” – 122
A 100 year old song that resonates in our hearts, especially as we consider the chorus; “…the soul will glow like Jesus in His tender mercy, if the heart is made His dwelling place.” God isn’t looking to sit on an earthly throne. He is not running for office or looking to hold a seat in the senate. Our God doesn’t make His dwelling place Washington, D.C. But never forget that God Still Reigns. He reigns in heaven, and wants us to let Him reign in our lives.
“Kneel at the Cross” – 945
With God as our King, He welcomes all who will come to Him. But before be can bow before the throne of God, we must first kneel at the cross. Through an acceptance of His death, burial and resurrection, we too die to ourselves and give Him reign over our lives.
“This World is Not My Home” – 957
Many value this world as home, and for the one who has nothing but this world… that would be a sad state. Yet for the child of God, we will live eternally, not in this world, but ‘up in glory land.’ If this world is what you desire, you’ll never know the glory of Christ in your heart. But when you seek ‘heaven’s door,’ and Christ lives in your heart, then you’ll know…God still reigns!
