250504-Worship Bulletin

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: from Psalm 33 and John 1

Minister: Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Sing to him a new song.

People: For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Minister: By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

People: Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Minister: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

People: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

*Hymn of Adoration: “Across the Lands” (Insert)

1 You’re the Word of God the Father,
From before the world began;
Every star and every planet
Has been fashioned by Your hand.
All creation holds together
By the power of Your voice:
Let the skies declare Your glory,
Let the land and seas rejoice!

Chorus:
You’re the Author of creation,
You’re the Lord of every man;
And Your cry of love rings out
Across the lands.

2 Yet You left the gaze of angels,
Came to seek and save the lost,
And exchanged the joy of heaven
For the anguish of a cross.
With a prayer You fed the hungry,
With a word You stilled the sea.
Yet how silently You suffered
That the guilty may go free.

3 With a shout You rose victorious,
Wresting victory from the grave,
And ascended into heaven
Leading captives in Your wake.
Now You stand before the Father
Interceding for Your own.
From each tribe and tongue and nation
You are leading sinners home.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation

Unison: Gracious Father, with Peter we cry out, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” In a world of created changeable things, Christ and his Word remain unshaken. Father, you who have the hearts of all men in your hand, form our hearts according to your unchanging Word, according to the image of your eternal, perfect Son. And may Christ the Word, and his Word, be our strength and comfort. In his name we come to you. Amen.

*Confession of Faith (Heidelberg Catechism 127)

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

People: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. That is: In ourselves we are so weak that we cannot stand even for a moment. Moreover, our sworn enemies—the devil, the world, and our own flesh—do not cease to attack us. Will you, therefore, uphold and strengthen us by the power of your Holy Spirit, so that in this spiritual war we may not go down to defeat, but always firmly resist our enemies, until we finally obtain the complete victory.

Unison: Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

*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!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! while eternal ages run!

The Revelation of God’s Will: Ex. 20:1-17; Mt. 22:37-40

Unison: And God spoke all these words saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

People: You shall have no other gods before me.

Minister: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

People: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Minister: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

People: Honor your father and your mother.

Minister: You shall not murder.

People: You shall not commit adultery.

Minister: You shall not steal.

People: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Minister: You shall not covet.”

People: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, mind and strength…and your neighbor as yourself.”

Minister: Have you fully obeyed the Lord in all that he has commanded?

People: No, but we have sinned against him in thought, word, and deed.

Minister: Then confess your sins, for with him there is mercy and abundant pardon.

*Hymn of Response: “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.

Prayer of Confession

Unison: Mighty God, Your Word penetrates our hearts and exposes the truth about our thoughts and intentions. It uncovers our self-confidence, our self-centeredness, our secret sins. We confess that we cherish and love evil thoughts in our hearts while outwardly pretending to be full of spiritual desires. We harbor hatred and anger, jealousy and malice. Instead of loving our neighbors, we judge and condemn them, envy them, or lust after them. Even our good deeds are stained. We serve others, but so that we may be admired and glorified. We speak your truth, but impatiently and without gentleness in order to prove ourselves. Father, forgive us—not just for our sinful actions but for our corrupt and perverse hearts. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Silent Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Assurance of Pardon

Minister: Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Jesus, My Great High Priest” (No. 306, Tune: “Darwall”)

1 Jesus, my great High Priest,
offered his blood and died;
my guilty conscience seeks
no sacrifice beside.
His pow'rful blood did once atone,
and now it pleads before the throne.

2 To this dear Surety's hand
will I commit my cause;
he answers and fulfils
his Father's broken laws.
Behold my soul at freedom set;
my Surety paid the dreadful debt.

3 My Advocate appears
for my defense on high;
the Father bows his ears
and lays his thunder by.
Not all that hell or sin can say
shall turn his heart, his love, away.

4 Should all the hosts of death
and pow'rs of hell unknown
put their most dreadful forms
of rage and mischief on,
I shall be safe, for Christ displays
his conqu'ring pow'r and guardian grace.

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 18:7-9

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “Fighting Temptation” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response: “O Church, Arise” (SH No. 2)

1 O Church, arise, and put your armour on;
Hear the call of Christ our Captain.
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth,
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
An army bold, whose battle-cry is Love,
Reaching out to those in darkness.

2 Our call to war, to love the captive soul
But to rage against the captor;
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole,
We will fight with faith and valour.
When faced with trials on every side
We know the outcome is secure,
And Christ will have the prize for which He died,
An inheritance of nations.

3 Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet,
As the Son of God is stricken;
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
And Christ emerges from the grave,
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him.

4 So Spirit, come put strength in every stride,
Give grace for every hurdle,
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
Retelling triumphs of His grace,
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When with Christ we stand in glory.

*The Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregational standing, if able.