Call to Worship From Psalm 24
Pastor: We approach the Lord with joy today;
Let us enter His gates with thanks-
giving in our hearts!
Congregation: And let us enter His courts with praise!
Pastor: Come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
Congregation: For He is our God, and we are the people
of His pasture,
All: The sheep of His hand,
the apple of His eye.
PRAYER of INVOCATION From Col. 1 and Ps. 68
O Christ, you are the image of the invisible God and the Head of the body, the church. May your procession be seen, O God, our King, into the sanctuary as we bow before you in humble adoration. Your holiness, majesty, and might; your grace, mercy, and love are ever before us. Amen. ◆
SONG “It Is Well with My Soul” CH#705
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from John 15:9-12
Our Lord said to His disciples,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER of CONFESSION
Pastor: Congregation:
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts.
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil
Eternal Power, be our support.
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.
Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us,
All: that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, we may seek Your face and be brought by Your infinite mercy to Your holy Presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. ◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON From John 3:16-17
Receive these words of comfort from God:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. Be assured, therefore, having confessed your transgressions in faith, that your sins are now as far as the east is from the west and you stand before the throne of God, clothed in grace. Amen. ◆
SONG of RESPONSE
“Is He Worthy?”
Do you feel the world is broken? We do
Do you feel the shadows deepen? We do
But do you know that all the dark won't
Stop the light from getting through? We do
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? We do
Is all creation groaning? It is
Is a new creation coming? It is
Is the glory of the Lord to be
the light within our midst? It is
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? It is.
CHORUS
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He was David's root and the Lamb who died
to ransom the slave
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this? He is.
Does the Father truly love us? He does.
Does the Spirit move among us? He does.
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever
those He loves? He does.
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? He does.
CHORUS
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died
to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe, Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is! (x4)
He is worthy! He is worthy!
Of all blessing and honor and glory!
Is He worthy of this? He is.
Peterson / Shive © Capitol Cmg Genesis, Vamos Publishing CCLI #3071858
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH Athanasian Creed (pt 1)
This is the Christian faith:
That we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence.
For the person of the Father is a distinct person; the person of the Son is another; and the Holy Spirit still another.
But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father is uncreated; the Son is uncreated; the Holy Spirit is uncreated. The Father is immeasurable, the Son is immeasurable, the Holy Spirit is immeasurable. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal.
And yet there are not three eternal beings; there is but one eternal being. And there are not three uncreated or immeas-urable beings; there is but one uncreated and immeasurable Being.
Similarly, the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty, the Holy Spirit is almighty. Yet there are not three almighty beings; there is but one Almighty Being.
Thus, the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three gods; there is but one God.
And so the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord. Yet there are not three lords; there is but one Lord.
Just as Christian truth compels us to confess each person Himself as both God and Lord, so true religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or three lords. Amen. ◆
OFFERING and PRAYER of DEDICATION
DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
CHILDREN’S CATECHISM
Q2. How many persons are there in God?
A: There are three persons in One God: the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit
From The New City Catechism for Kids, ©2018 Crossway Books. Used with permission.
PASSING of the PEACE
(Children age 3 through grade 5 may go to Judson Kids.)
PRAYER of INTERCESSION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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, forever.
Amen. ◆
SONG “How Great Thou Art” CH #147
Ministry of the Word
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
Divine Spirit, illumine to us the words of the Lord. Show us the wealth of glory that lies beneath the old familiar stories. Teach us the depths of meaning hidden in the songs of Zion. Raise us to the heights of aspiration that are reached by the wings of the prophet. Lift us to the summit of faith that is trod by the feet of the apostle. Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of your Word. Amen. ◆
SERMON “James, the Brother of Our Lord” James 1:1
SONG of RESPONSE “Seek Ye First”
BENEDICTION
