250223-Worship Bulletin

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (I John 4:11)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Psalm 36:1-3, 23-26

Minister: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

People: for his steadfast love endures forever.

Minister: Give thanks to the God of gods,

Men: for his steadfast love endures forever.

Minister: Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

Ladies: for his steadfast love endures forever.

Minister: It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

Youth: for his steadfast love endures forever;

Minister: and rescued us from our foes,

People: for his steadfast love endures forever;

Minister: he who gives food to all flesh,

People: for his steadfast love endures forever;

Minister: Give thanks to the God of heaven,

Unison: for his steadfast love endures forever.

*Hymn of Adoration: “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” (No. 184, Tune: “St. Columba”)

1 The King of love my Shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
and he is mine forever.

2 Where streams of living water flow
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.

3 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.

4 In death's dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.

5 Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
thine unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: Our loving Father, we praise you, and we trust you. For this we know: You are for us—and so who can be against us? If you did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all, will you not then also with him graciously give us all things? Who can bring a charge against us? For you have justified us! Who can condemn us? For Christ Jesus died for us, was raised from the dead, and is even now interceding for us! Who can separate us from your love? No one! We are confident that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from your love shown to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

*Confession of Faith Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q&A 36

Minister: What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?

People: The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

*Gloria (Tune: “Lauda Anima”)

Glory be to Him who loved us,
Washed us from each sinful stain;
Glory be to Him who made us
Priests and kings with Him to reign;
Glory, worship, laud and blessing
To the Lamb who once was slain.

New Testament Reading: I John 4:7-21

Hymn of Praise: “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” (SH No. 10)

1 How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

2 Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.

3 I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

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Congregational Prayers

Unison: Our Father, we thank you for the Gospel! You have led us to embrace it, and you have given us a partnership in it. Thank you that you, who have begun this good work in us, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. And so we pray that our love may abound yet more and more in all knowledge and discernment, so that we may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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 Mahands in England, the Lees with RUF, and the Mugaris in Zimbabwe, and Mike Osborne with Standing Stone.

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 prayers.

Silent Prayers

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Encouragement

Minister: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-26)

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

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”

1 Beneath the cross of Jesus
I find a place to stand,
And wonder at such mercy
That calls me as I am;
For hands that should discard me
Hold wounds which tell me, “Come.”

2 Beneath the cross of Jesus
My unworthy soul is won.
Beneath the cross of Jesus
His family is my own—
Once strangers chasing selfish dreams,
Now one through grace alone.
How could I now dishonor
The ones that You have loved?
Beneath the cross of Jesus
See the children called by God.

3 Beneath the cross of Jesus—
The path before the crown—
We follow in His footsteps
Where promised hope is found.
How great the joy before us
To be His perfect bride;
Beneath the cross of Jesus
We will gladly live our lives.

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Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Lasst Uns Erfreuen”)

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One;
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

Reading of the Holy Scriptures: Matthew 17:24-27

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “Free to Love” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response: “Take My Life and Let It Be” (No. 585)

1 Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice, and let me sing,
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
ev'ry pow'r as thou shalt choose,
ev'ry pow'r as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will, and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take my self, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

*The Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregational standing, if able.