240811 – Worship Bulletin

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Exodus 34:5-8, Psalm 103:1

Minister: The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with [Moses] there and proclaimed the name of the Lord….

People: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,

Minister: forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

People: And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.

Unison: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

*Hymn of Adoration: “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” (No. 77)

1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
to his feet your tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like me, his praise should sing?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

2 Praise him for his grace and favor
to our fathers in distress;
praise him, still the same forever,
slow to chide and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.

3 Father-like, he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hands he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely as his mercy goes.

4 Frail as summer's flow'r we flourish,
blows the wind and it is gone;
but while mortals rise and perish,
God endures unchanging on.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the High Eternal One.

5 Angels, help us to adore him;
you behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation

Unison: God of all good: I bless you for the means of grace, and especially, this day, for the sacrament of holy communion. By your Spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern and spiritually to apprehend the Savior. As the outward elements nourish my body, so may your indwelling Spirit invigorate my soul, until that day when I hunger and thirst no more, and sit with Jesus at His heavenly feast. This we ask, in the Name of him who is our One Lord, Redeemer and Friend. Amen.

*Affirmation of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism, No. 75

Minister: How does the Lord's supper signify and seal to you that you share in Christ's one sacrifice on the cross and in all his gifts?

People: In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread and drink of this cup in remembrance of him. With this command he gave these promises: First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup given to me, so surely was his body offered for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross. Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the minister and taste with my mouth the bread and the cup of the Lord as sure signs of Christ's body and blood, so surely does he himself nourish and refresh my soul to everlasting life with his crucified body and shed blood. Rather, in His grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgment.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

*Gloria (Tune: “Ode to Joy”)

Worship, honor, glory, blessing, Lord, we offer unto thee;
Young and old, thy praise expressing, in glad homage bend the knee.
All the saints in heav'n adore thee; we would bow before thy throne.
As thine angels serve before thee, so on earth thy will be done.

Psalter Reading: Psalm 1

Minister: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or stand in the seat of mockers.

People: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Minister: He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

People: Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Minister: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

People: For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Hymn of Response: “How Firm a Foundation” (No. 94)

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 "When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 "E'en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

6 "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

Public Confession

Unison: O God, we confess that we have sinned against you. You have blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing and have provided for every need, but still we look to the riches and pleasures of this world for fulfillment and security. You, the all-knowing, all-wise God, have given us your Word and your Holy Spirit, but still we look to our godless culture for wisdom and counsel. When we do read your Word, we rejoice more in our piety than in your truth. You have provided a rich feast for our souls in your Word and the Lord’s Supper, but too often we are careless in our use of those means, bored by your gospel of grace, and more captivated by your gifts than we are by you. We repent of our sin and ask that in your mercy, you would cause us to delight in you, our greatest blessing and fount of all wisdom. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Adapted from Prone to Wander: Prayers of Confession and Celebration

Private Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Encouragement

Minister: Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (Psalm 86:11-13)

*Hymn of Response: “What Tho’ I Cannot Break My Chain” (No. 458)

1 What tho' I cannot break my chain
or e'er throw off my load,
the things impossible to men
are possible to God.

2 Who, who shall in thy presence stand,
or match Omnipotence;
unfold the grasp of thy right hand
and pluck the sinner thence?

3 Faith to be healed I fain would have,
O might it now be giv'n;
thou canst, thou canst the sinner save,
and make me meet for heav'n.

4 Bound down with twice ten thousand ties,
yet let me hear thy call;
my soul in confidence shall rise,
shall rise and break through all.

5 Thou canst o'ercome this heart of mine,
thou wilt victorious prove;
for everlasting strength is thine,
and everlasting love.

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Lasst Uns Erfreuen”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below; Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
O Praise Him! O Praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Matthew 13:18-23

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “The Word of God and the Hearts of People” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Preparation: “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place” (No. 469)

1 How sweet and awesome is the place
with Christ within the doors,
while everlasting love displays
the choicest of her stores.

2 While all our hearts and all our songs
join to admire the feast,
each of us cries, with thankful tongue,
"Lord, why was I a guest?

3 "Why was I made to hear your voice,
and enter while there's room,
when thousands make a wretched choice,
and rather starve than come?"

4 'Twas the same love that spread the feast
that sweetly drew us in;
else we had still refused to taste,
and perished in our sin.

5 Pity the nations, O our God,
constrain the earth to come;
send your victorious Word abroad,
and bring the strangers home.

6 We long to see your churches full,
that all the chosen race
may, with one voice and heart and soul,
sing your redeeming grace.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Invitation and Instructions

All who have professed faith in Jesus Christ and have been baptized and who are communicant members in good standing in an evangelical church are invited to come to participate in this sacred Sacrament of the Church. This is not a Presbyterian table, and we do not restrict it as such; it is the Lord’s Table. However, the church alone grants access to the table and must guard it from the leaven of unrighteousness (1 Cor. 5:6-8). Therefore, if you have not repented and trusted in Christ or if you are harboring sin in your life or if there is anyone with whom you are not at peace with so far as it depends on you (Rom. 12:18), please do not participate in this meal. We invite you instead to use this time to reflect and ask God to speak to your heart and give you more light and understanding. Children who have not been admitted to the table by the church should also refrain from partaking of the Supper.

For those who prefer, the outer ring of the tray is grape juice. The bread is gluten free. Please hold the bread and cup until all have been served so that we may partake together.

*Departing Hymn: “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” (No. 420)

1 At the Lamb's high feast we sing
praise to our victorious King,
who has washed us in the tide
flowing from his pierced side;
praise we him whose love divine
gives his sacred blood for wine,
gives his body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

2 Where the paschal blood is poured,
death's dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel's hosts triumphant go
through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
paschal victim, paschal bread;
with sincerity and love
eat we manna from above.

3 Mighty victim from the sky,
pow'rs of hell beneath thee lie;
death is conquered in the fight,
thou hast brought us life and light:
hymns of glory and of praise,
risen Lord, to thee we raise;
holy Father, praise to thee,
with the Spirit, ever be.

*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.