260308: Worship Bulletin

Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.
Revelation 19:5

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

*Call to Worship: Revelation 19:1-7

Minister: Hallelujah!

People: Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just.

Minister: Hallelujah!

People: For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Unison: Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.

*Hymn of Adoration: “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah” (TH No. 57, Tune: “Ode to Joy”)

1 Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
of my God through all my days.
Put no confidence in princes,
nor for help on man depend;
he shall die, to dust returning,
and his purposes shall end.

2 Happy is the man that chooses
Israel's God to be his aid;
he is blessed whose hope of blessing
on the Lord his God is stayed.
Heav'n and earth the Lord created,
seas and all that they contain;
he delivers from oppression,
righteousness he will maintain.

3 Food he daily gives the hungry,
Sets the mourning prisoner free,
raises those bowed down with anguish,
makes the sightless eye to see.
Well Jehovah loves the righteous,
and the stranger he befriends,
helps the fatherless and widow,
judgment on the wicked sends.

4 Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
of my God through all my days.
Over all God reigns forever,
through all ages he is King;
unto him, your God, O Zion,
joyful hallelujahs sing.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation

Unison: O God All-Sufficient: You have made and uphold all things by the word of your power. Darkness is your pavilion; you walk on the wings of the wind. All nations are as nothing before you. One generation succeeds another, and we hasten back to the dust; but you, unchangeable and incorruptible, are for ever and ever, God over all, blessed eternally. Infinitely great and glorious, you are our King. Yet with tender love you watch over us and give us all we need for life and godliness. Therefore, let us bless your name and forget not that you have forgiven our iniquities, healed our diseases, redeemed our lives from destruction, crowned us with loving kindness and tender mercies, satisfied our mouths with good things, and renewed our youth like the eagle’s. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Adapted from “God Over All” from The Valley of Vision

*Affirmation of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism 26

Minister: How does Christ execute the office of a king?

People: Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

*Gloria Patri (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.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 9:7-10
New Testament Reading: Revelation 19:11-16

Hymn of Response: “Crown Him with Many Crowns” (SH No. 185)

1 Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne;
hark, how the heav'nly anthem drowns all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

2 Crown him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
and ye who tread where he hath trod, crown him the Son of Man.
Who ev'ry grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
and takes and bears them for his own, that all in him may rest.

3 Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die

4 Crown him the Lord of heav'n, enthroned in worlds above;
crown him, the King to whom is giv'n the wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns, as thrones before him fall;
crown him, ye kings, with many crowns, for he is King of all.

Public Confession

Unison: Lord God, we confess that we have sinned and fallen short of your glory. You are Faithful and True and Righteous, but we are not. We are inconstant in our love, unreliable in our service, disloyal in our speech and in our silence. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. Your name is above every name. You are great and wise beyond our comprehension, but we act as if you are small—a god we can understand and control. Jesus, you are the Word of God, but we are apathetic, distracted, hard hearted, and we do not listen to you and heed your voice. You are the Lord of lords, but we choose to follow our own rules and serve our own interests. You are the King of kings, but we rebel against your loving rule and seek to be sovereigns of our own kingdoms. Father, please forgive us, for the sake of your Son who died in our place. We ask this in his name. Amen.

Private Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minster: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:31-14)

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

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Before the Throne of God Above” ( SH No. 121)

1 Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea,
a great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands;
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heav'n he stands,
no tongue can bid me thence depart;
no tongue can bid me thence depart.

2 When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see him there
who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God the Just is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me;
to look on him and pardon me.

3 Behold him there, the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness;
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!
One with himself I cannot die;
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ my Savior and my God;
with Christ my Savior and my God!

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 24:36-51

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “The Return of the King: Part Two” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response and Preparation: “Rejoice, All Ye Believers” (TH No. 320)

1 Rejoice, all ye believers,
and let your lights appear;
the evening is advancing,
and darker night is near:
the Bridegroom is arising,
and soon he draweth nigh;
up, pray, and watch, and wrestle:
at midnight comes the cry.

2 See that your lamps are burning;
replenish them with oil;
and wait for your salvation,
the end of earthly toil.
The watchers on the mountain
proclaim the Bridegroom near;
go meet him as he cometh,
with alleluias clear.

3 Ye saints, who here in patience
your cross and suff'rings bore,
shall live and reign forever,
when sorrow is no more:
around the throne of glory
the Lamb ye shall behold,
in triumph cast before him
your diadems of gold.

4 Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
arise, thou sun so longed for,
o'er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted,
we plead, O Lord to see
the day of earth's redemption
that brings us unto thee.

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: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” (SH No. 7)

1 All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall, let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem
and crown him Lord of all!

2 Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,
ye ransomed from the fall, ye ransomed from the fall,
hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all!

3 Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe
on this terrestrial ball, on this terrestrial ball,
to him all majesty ascribe,
and crown him Lord of all!

4 Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
we at his feet may fall, we at his feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song,
and crown him Lord of all!

*The Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.

The deacons encourage you to consider supporting their work among those in need by giving an offering as you leave worship this morning. This offering will be used to provide assistance to those in our congregation and wider community who have financial and material needs. Please use the mercy box to make your gift. Many thanks to you!