240908 – Worship Bulletin

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145:13)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Psalm 100

Minister: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

People: Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Minister: Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

People: For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

*Hymn of Adoration: “Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim” (No. 165)

1 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name, all victorious, of Jesus extol;
his kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

2 God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
and still he is nigh– his presence we have.
The great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus, our King.

3 Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!
Let all cry aloud and honor the Son.
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

4 Then let us adore, and give him his right,
all glory and pow'r, and wisdom and might,
all honor and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never ceasing for infinite love.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation

Unison: Our God and King, we extol you and bless your name, for you are great and greatly to be praised. We will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty and on your wondrous works. We will declare your awesome deeds and tell of your abundant goodness. For you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. We will speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power. For your kingdom is everlasting, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. We will look to you and call upon you. For you are near to those who call on you. You will hear our cry and save us. For this we praise you and will bless your holy name forever and ever. Amen. (Psalm 145)

*Confession of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism 123

Minister: What is the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer?

People: Your kingdom come. That is: So rule us by your Word and Spirit that more and more we submit to you. Preserve and increase your church. Destroy the works of the devil, every power that raises itself against you, and every conspiracy against your holy Word. Do all this until the fullness of your kingdom comes, wherein you shall be all in all.

*Gloria (Tune: “Lauda Anima”)

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit: great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, blessing, praise, and honor while eternal ages run!

New Testament Reading: Colossians 1:9-23

Hymn of Response: “The Church’s One Foundation” (No. 347)

1 The church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word:
from heav'n he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.

2 Elect from ev'ry nation,
yet one o'er all the earth,
her charter of salvation
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with ev'ry grace endued.

3 Though with a scornful wonder
men see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping,
their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song.

4 The church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
to guide, sustain, and cherish,
is with her to the end;
though there be those that hate her,
and false sons in her pale,
against or foe or traitor
she ever shall prevail.

5 'Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious
shall be the church at rest.

6 Yet she on earth hath union
with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.

Prayers of the People

Unison: Mighty God, great Creator: In the beginning you made man in your image and declared him very good. But Adam fell, exchanging the light of your love for the darkness of sin and rebellion. And in Adam, each of us sinned, and we continue to sin. We confess that we are lovers of darkness, hiding from you in guilt and despair. But we thank you that our sin and darkness cannot overwhelm the brightness of your glory. We praise you, Light of the World, for you died for our sins and rose victorious from the tomb. We adore you, Father, for you delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of your beloved Son. We implore you, Holy Spirit, to draw our hearts from darkness to light. May we glory in our Redeemer. May we abhor the darkness of our sin. May we flee to the brightness of our Savior’s love, which welcomes us as sons and daughters and carries us as honored guests to the table of celebration. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Private Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Assurance of Pardon

Minister: For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures…..But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)

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

Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Rock of Ages” (No. 500)

1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy riven side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and pow'r.

2 Not the labors of my hands
can fulfil thy law's demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears for ever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

3 Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to thy cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the Fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

4 While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyelids close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)

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.

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Matthew 13:31-35

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “The Kingdom’s Growth” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Preparation: “Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands” (No. 427)

1 Amidst us our Beloved stands,
and bids us view his pierced hands;
points to the wounded feet and side,
blest emblems of the Crucified.

2 What food luxurious loads the board,
when athis table sits the Lord!
The wine how rich, the bread how sweet,
when Jesus deigns the guests to meet!

3 If now, with eyes defiled and dim,
we see the signs, but see not him;
O may his love the scales displace,
and bid us see him face to face!

4 O glorious Bridegroom of our hearts,
your present smile a heav’n imparts!
O lift the veil, if veil there be,
let every saint your glory see!

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: “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” (No.164)

1 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.

2 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.

3 Jesus, the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace.

4 He breaks the pow'r of reigning sin,
he sets the pris'ner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean,
his blood availed for me.

5 He speaks and, list'ning to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice;
the humble poor believe.

6 Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
your loosen'd tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come;
and leap, ye lame, for joy.

*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.