260816: Worship Bulletin

I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the
seas and all deeps….Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
Psalm 135:4-6, 13

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

God of grace, I stand in wonder, as my God restores my soul.
His own blood has paid my ransom; awesome cost to make me whole.
(“God of Grace” SH No. 156)

*Call to Worship: Psalm 33

Minister: Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

People: For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Minister: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

People: Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Unison: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

*Hymn of Adoration: “How Firm a Foundation” (TH No. 94)

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 "When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 "E'en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

6 "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: Heavenly Father, my faith is in you, my expectations are from you, my love goes out toward you. I believe you, accept your Word, yield to your will, rely on your promises, and trust in your providence. I do not need signs and wonders to believe, for your Word is sure truth. I have cast my anchor in the port of your peace, knowing that the present and future are in your nail-pierced hands. You are so good, wise, just, and holy, that no mistake is possible to you. You are the fountain of all law; what you command is mine to obey.I yield to your sovereignty all that I am and have; do with me as you will. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.

Adapted from “Repose” in The Valley of Vision

*Affirmation of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism 4, 7

Minister: What is God?

People: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Minister: What are the decrees of God?

People: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, by which, for his own glory, he has foreordained whatever comes to pass.

Unison: You are God, and there is no other; you are God, and there is none like you, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done. Glory be to your name!

*Gloria (Tune: “Lauda Anima”)

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
glory be to God the Spirit, great Jehovah, Three in One;
glory, honor, power, blessing while eternal ages run!

Psalter Reading: Psalm 55:1-23

Hymn of Approach: “Commit Now All Your Griefs” (TH No. 669)

1 Commit thou all your griefs
and ways into his hands;
to his sure truth and tender care,
who earth and heav'n commands.
Who points the clouds their course,
whom winds and seas obey,
he shall direct your wand'ring feet,
He shall prepare your way.

2 Give to the winds your fears;
hope, and be undismayed;
God hears your sighs and counts your tears,
God shall lift up your head.
Through waves and clouds and storms
he gently clears your way;
wait for his time, so shall the night
soon end in joyous day.

3 Still heavy is your heart?
Still sink your spirits down?
Cast off the weight, let fear depart,
and every care be gone.
He everywhere has sway,
and all things serve his might;
his every act pure blessing is,
his path unsullied light.

4 Far, far above your thought
his counsel shall appear,
when fully he the work has wrought
that caused your needless fear.
Leave to his sovereign sway
to choose and to command;
with wonder filled, you then hall own
how wise, how strong his hand.

The Prayers of Intercession

Unison: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

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 the 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.

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Encouragement: Psalm 145:18-21

Minister: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all
the wicked he will destroy.

People: My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Let All Things Now Living” (TH No. 125)

1 Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the Creator triumphantly raise,
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who guides us and leads to the end of our days.
His banners are o’er us, his light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night,
‘til shadows have vanished and darkness is banished,
As forward we travel from light into light.

2 His law he enforces: the stars in the courses,
The sun in its orbit, obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing,
With glad adoration a song let us raise,
‘til all things now living unite in thanksgiving
To God in the highest, hosanna and praise!

CCLI 3036374

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Amen

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Matthew 26:47-56

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “That the Scriptures of the Prophets Might Be Fulfilled” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response: “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” (TH No. 128)

1 God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform;
he plants his footsteps in the sea,
and rides upon the storm.

2 Deep in unfathomable mines
of never-failing skill
he treasures up his bright designs,
and works his sovereign will.

3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
the clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
in blessings on your head.

4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust him for his grace;
behind a frowning providence
he hides a smiling face.

5 His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding ev'ry hour;
the bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flow'r.

6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
and scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
and he will make it plain.

*The Benediction

Postlude