260809: Worship Guide

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Psalm 73:25-28

Minister: Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth I desire beside you.

People: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Minister: For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

People: But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Unison: Truly, God is good!

*Hymn of Adoration: “God Is Our Strength and Refuge” (SH No. 542)

God is our Strength and Refuge,
a Helper ever near.
While resting in his shelter,
no evil will we fear—
not if the mountains crumble
into the angry sea,
nor if the surging ocean
exceeds its boundary.

A quiet stream refreshes
the city of our God;
his throne stands unaffected
while kingdoms rise and fall.
One word from Jacob's Savior
will melt the raging throng.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
he is our fortress strong.

Behold God's glorious power:
he makes all warfare cease.
Each weapon he will shatter;
the world will be at peace.
"Be still!" cries heaven's Sov'reign,
"Be still, for I am God!
All kingdoms—all creation—
will bow beneath my rod."

The violent sea turned placid
when Jesus cried, "Be still!"
Fears gone, twelve men stood gasping
when waves obeyed his will.
And soon the same voice speaking
will calm earth's rebel storm.
This Lord of hosts is with us
both now and evermore!

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*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation

Unison: God of All Grace, you have given me a Savior; produce in me a faith to live by him, to make him all my desire, all my hope, all my glory. May I enter him as my refuge, build on him as my foundation, walk in him as my way, follow him as my guide, conform to him as my example, receive his instructions as my prophet, rely on his intercession as my high priest, obey him as my king. In his name I come to you. Amen.

From “The Savior” in The Valley of Vision

*Affirmation of Faith: Westminster Confession of Faith 8.1

Minister: What do you believe concerning Christ, our Mediator?

People: God was pleased, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the mediator between God and man. As the mediator, he is the prophet, priest, and king, the Head and Savior of the church, the heir of all things, and the judge of the world. God gave to him, from all eternity, a people to be his seed and to be by him, in time, redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

*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 42:1-11
New Testament Reading: Hebrews 5:7-10

Hymn of Response: “Gethsemane” (SH No. 805)

To see the King of heaven fall
in anguish to his knees;
the Light and Hope of all the world
now overwhelmed with grief.
What nameless horrors must he see,
to cry out in the garden:
“Oh, take this cup away from me,
yet not my will but yours;
yet not my will but yours.”

To know each friend will fall away,
and heaven’s voice be still,
for hell to have its vengeful day
upon Golgotha’s hill.
No words describe the Savior’s plight—
to be by God forsaken
till wrath and love are satisfied,
and ev’ry sin is paid,
and ev’ry sin is paid.

What took him to this wretched place?
What kept him on this road?
His love for Adam’s cursed race,
for ev’ry broken soul.
No sin too slight to overlook,
no crime too great to carry,
all mingled in this poisoned cup,
and yet he drank it all;
the Savior drank it all.

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Public Confession

Unison: Gracious and loving Father, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future filled with hope, in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, our light and our life. Amen.

Private Confession

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minister: 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 4:15-16)

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

*Hymn of Praise: “Arise, My Soul, Arise” (SH No. 126)

Arise, my soul, arise,
shake off thy guilty fears.
The bleeding Sacrifice
in my behalf appears.
Before the throne my Surety stands,
before the throne my Surety stands;
my name is written on his hands.

He ever lives above,
for me to intercede;
his all-redeeming love,
his precious blood to plead.
His blood atoned for all our race,
his blood atoned for all our race,
and sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds he bears,
received on Calvary;
they pour effectual prayers,
they strongly plead for me.
"Forgive him, oh, forgive," they cry;
"forgive him, oh, forgive," they cry,
"nor let that ransomed sinner die."

The Father hears him pray,
his dear Anointed One;
he cannot turn away
the presence of his Son.
His Spirit answers to the blood,
his Spirit answers to the blood,
and tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled,
his pard'ning voice I hear;
he owns me for a child,
I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw nigh,
with confidence I now draw nigh,
and "Father, Abba, Father," cry.

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 26:36-46

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “In the Garden” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Preparation: “Go to the Dark Gethsemane” (SH No. 814)

Go to dark Gethsemane,
you who feel the tempter's pow'r;
your Redeemer's conflict see;
watch with him one bitter hour;
turn not from his griefs away;
learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment hall;
view the Lord of life arraigned;
see the wormwood and the gall!
See the pangs his soul sustained!
Shun not suff'ring, shame, or loss;
learn of him to bear the cross.

Calv'ry's mournful mountain climb;
there, adoring at his feet,
mark that miracle of time,
God's own sacrifice complete.
"It is finished!" hear the cry;
learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb
where they laid his breathless clay;
all is solitude and gloom;
who has taken him away?
Christ is ris'n! He meets our eyes:
Savior, teach us so to rise.

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: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” (SH No. 473)

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!"
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.

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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*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.