260315: Worship Bulletin

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried, “’Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

*Call to Worship: Psalm 96:1-4, 10-13

Minister: Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

People: Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.

Minister: Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

People: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!

Minister: Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,

People: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Unison: Come, let us praise our God!

*Hymn of Adoration: “The God of Abraham Praise” (TH No. 34)

1 The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above,
Ancient of everlasting days and God of love.
Jehovah! Great I AM! by earth and heav'n confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred name, forever blest.

2 The God of Abraham praise, at whose supreme command
from earth I rise, and seek the joys at his right hand.
I all on earth forsake, its wisdom, fame, and pow'r,
and him my only portion make, my shield and tow'r.

3 He by himself hath sworn, I on his oath depend;
I shall, on eagles' wings upborne, to heav'n ascend,
I shall behold his face, I shall his pow'r adore,
and sing the wonders of his grace forevermore.

4 The goodly land I see, with peace and plenty blest,
a land of sacred liberty and endless rest.
There milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound,
and trees of life forever grow, with mercy crowned.

5 There dwells the Lord our King, the Lord our Righteousness,
triumphant o'er the world and sin, the Prince of Peace.
On Zion's sacred height his kingdom he maintains,
and glorious with his saints in light forever reigns.

6 The whole triumphant host gives thanks to God on high;
"Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!" they ever cry.
Hail Abraham's God and mine! I join the heav'nly lays;
all might and majesty are thine, and endless praise.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Lord Jesus, Lamb of God: You are worthy, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people to God from every tribe and language and people and nation. How we long for the day when we shall stand in heaven with this throng of the redeemed, our brothers and sisters, and cry out, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory!” Amen.

*Confession of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism 52

Minister: What comfort is it to you that Christ will come to judge the living and the dead?

People: In all my sorrow and persecution I lift up my head and eagerly await as judge from heaven the very same person who before has submitted himself to the judgment of God for my sake, and has removed all the curse from me. He will cast all his and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but he will take me and all his chosen ones to himself into heavenly joy and glory.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

*Gloria Patri (Tune: “Lauda Anima”)

Glory to the King of angels, glory to the Church’s king,
Glory to the King of nations, heav’n and earth His praises sing:
Glory ever and for ever to the King of Glory bring.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 40:9-15

New Testament Reading: Revelation 22:1-17

Hymn of Praise: “I Cannot Tell” (SH No. 154)

1 I cannot tell why he whom angels worship
should set his love upon the sons of men,
or why, as Shepherd, he should seek the wand'rers
to bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that he was born of Mary
when Bethl'hem's manger was his only home,
and that he lived at Nazareth and labored,
and so the Savior, Savior of the world, is come.

2 I cannot tell how silently he suffered,
as with his peace he graced this place of tears,
or how his heart upon the cross was broken,
the crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know: he heals the brokenhearted
and stays our sin, and calms our faithless fear,
and lifts the burden from the heavy-laden;
for still the presence of the Comforter is here.

3. I cannot tell when he will win the nations,
when he will claim his heritage of earth,
or satisfy the cries and crushing sorrows
of east and west, of those who have new birth.
But this I know: all flesh shall see his glory,
and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,
and some glad day his light will shine in splendor
when he, the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.

4 I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
when at his bidding ev'ry storm is stilled,
or who can say how great the jubilation
when ev'ry heart with love and joy is filled.
But this I know: the skies will thrill with rapture,
and myriad ransomed sons and daughters sing,
and earth to heav'n, and heav'n to earth, will answer,
"At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King!"

CCLI 3036374

The Prayers of the People

Unison: Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us, granting us in this world knowledge of your truth and in the world to come life everlasting.

Minister: Father, we pray for your people throughout the world; for our denomination; for this church; and for all ministers and missionaries. We pray especially for the ministries we support financially: the staff of The Women’s Refuge and of Care Net; and for Amjad and Sarah in England, the Mugaris in Zimbabwe, the Bersachs in Colombia, the Lees and Slaters with RUF, and Mike Osborne with Standing Stone Ministries.

People: We pray for the leaders of our nation and all who hold authority, that they would govern according to your truth, and especially that they would resolve to protect the lives of the unborn and defenseless.

Minister: We pray for the world, especially that you would bring peace and justice and deliverance to nations and peoples oppressed by war, by disaster, by tyranny, and by evil. We pray for our brothers and sisters in these places as they offer the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ amid great danger and opposition.
People: We pray for our children and future generations which will be born to them. May the knowledge of you, Lord, fill the earth through them.

Minister: May we have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayer.

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minister: Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. (Psalm 28:6-8)

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

Hymn of Preparation: “Speak, O Lord” (SH No. 292)

1 Speak, O Lord, as we come to you
to receive the food of your holy word.
Take your truth, plant it deep in us;
shape and fashion us in your likeness;
that the light of Christ might be seen today
in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
all your purposes for your glory.

2 Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
holy reverence, true humility;
test our thoughts and our attitudes
in the radiance of your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow'r that can never fail:
let their truth prevail over unbelief.

3 Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
help us grasp the heights of your plans for us:
truths unchanged from the dawn of time
that will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on your promises,
and by faith we'll walk as you walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till your church is built
and the earth is filled with your glory.

CCLI 3036374

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 25:1-13

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “The Parable of the Bridesmaids” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response: “From All that Dwell below the Skies” (TH No. 7)

1 From all that dwell below the skies
let the Creator’s praise arise;
let the Redeemer’s name be sung
through every land, by every tongue.

2 In every land begin the song;
to every land the strains belong.
In cheerful sound all voices raise
and fill the world with joyful praise.

3 Eternal are your mercies, Lord;
eternal truth attends your word.
Your praise shall sound from shore to shore
till suns rise and set no more.

*The Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.