250608-Worship Bulletin

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! Psalm 127:3-5a

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Psalm 103:1, 10-13

Minister: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

People: and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Minister: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

People: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Minister: as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

People: As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Unison: Bless the Lord, O my soul!

*Hymn of Adoration: “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.

CCLI 3036374

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we praise you and bless you. For you have blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. You chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before you. In love you predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, to the praise of your glorious grace. And now in Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of your grace, which you have lavished upon us. For all this we give you thanks. In the name of Jesus we come to you. Amen.

from Ephesians 1:3-10

*Confession of Faith: Westminster Confession of Faith 12.1

Minister: What do you believe concerning adoption?

People: All those who are justified God graciously guarantees to make partakers of the grace of adoption in and for his only Son, Jesus Christ. By this act they are taken into the number of God's children and enjoy the liberties and privileges of that relationship; they are given his name; they receive the Spirit of adoption; they have access to the throne of grace with boldness; and they are enabled to cry, “Abba, Father.” Like a father, God has compassion on, protects, provides for, and chastens them; yet, they will never be cast off, but are sealed to the day of redemption, and will inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

*Gloria Tune: "Gloria Patri, Greatorex"

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen. Amen.

Psalter Reading: Psalm 139

Minister: O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.

People: You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

Minister: You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

People: Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.

Minister: You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

People: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Minister: Where can I go from your Spirit?

People: Where can I flee from your presence?

Minister: If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

People: if I make my bed in the depths , you are there.

Minister: If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

People: even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Minister: If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”

People: even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Minister: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

People: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Minister: your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

People: My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

Minister: When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

People: All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Minister: How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

People: How vast is the sum of them!

Minister: Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.

People: When I awake, I am still with you.

Minister: If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

People: They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.

Minister: Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you?

People: I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Minister: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

People: See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Hymn of Thanksgiving: “All That I Am I Owe to Thee” (No. 37, Tune: “As the Hart Longs”)

1 All that I am I owe to thee;
thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me.
I give my Maker thankful praise,
whose wondrous works my soul amaze.

2 Ere into being I was brought,
thine eye did see, and in thy thought
my life in all its perfect plan
was ordered ere my days began.

3 Thy thoughts, O God, how manifold,
more precious unto me than gold!
I muse on their infinity,
awaking I am still with thee.

4 The wicked thou wilt surely slay;
from me let sinners turn away.
They speak against the name divine;
I count God's enemies as mine.

5 Search me, O God, my heart discern;
try me, my inmost thought to learn;
and lead me, if in sin I stray,
to choose the everlasting way.

Public Confession

Unison: Eternal Father: You are good beyond all thought, but we are slow of heart and blind; our lips are ready to confess, but our hearts are slow to feel, and our ways reluctant to amend. Unmask to us sin’s deformity that we may hate it, abhor it, and flee from it. Our faculties have been a weapon of revolt against you; as we rebel, we misuse our strength and serve the foul adversary of your kingdom. Give us grace to bewail our insane folly; and grant that through the tears of repentance, we may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the saving cross.

Adapted from “Yet I Sin” in The Valley of Vision

Private Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minister: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

People: Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

*Hymn of Response: “What Wondrous Love Is This” (No. 261)

1 What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

2 To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb, who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing!

3 And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
and when from death I'm free, I'll sing on;
and when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
and through eternity I'll sing on!

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 heav'nly host,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
O praise him! O praise him! Alleluia, alleluia!

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Matthew 19:13-15

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

Sermon: “Sentimental or Sincere?” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Preparation: “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know” (No. 189)

1 Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong.

Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

2 Jesus loves me, he who died
heaven's gates to open wide;
he will wash away my sin,
let his little child come in. [Refrain]

3 Jesus loves me, loves me still,
though I'm very weak and ill;
from his shining throne on high
comes to watch me where I lie. [Refrain]

4 Jesus loves me, he will stay
close beside me all the way:
if I love him, when I die
he will take me home on high. [Refrain]

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.

*Hymn of Departure: “Man of Sorrows! What a Name” (No. 246)

1 Man of Sorrows! what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

2 Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

3 Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
spotless Lamb of God was he;
full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

4 Lifted up was he to die,
"It is finished!" was his cry:
now in heav'n exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

5 When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we'll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregational standing, if able.