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Welcome and Introduction
A prayer of preparation, said by all
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come Thou fount of ev'ry blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise:
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home:
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand'ring from the fold of God;
He to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Words: Robert Robinson, 1758; Tune: NETTLETON, 1813; CCLI 11310292
The minister says
The Lord be with you.
The congregation replies
And also with you.
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouths shall declare your praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
The congregation says a prayer of confession
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts and have turned from your holy laws. We have left undone those things we ought to have done, and we have done those things we ought not to have done. But you, O Lord, are great in mercy. Forgive us, O God, and restore us, according to your promises in Jesus Christ our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, that we may hereafter live a godly and righteous life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
The minister says
Hear these words of comfort spoken by the Apostle Paul:
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Romans 3:21–22
The collect, said by the minister
Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Bible Reading: Philippians 3:7–11
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The reader says
This is the word of the Lord.
The congregation replies
Thanks be to God.
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
*Here “catholic” means universal
Announcements
Prayers
At the end of the prayers, the congregation says
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
You Alone Can Rescue
Who, O Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea.
Your grace is deeper still. (Repeat)
Chorus:
And You alone can rescue,
You alone can save.
You alone can lift us from the grave.
You came down to find us, led us out of death.
To You alone belongs the highest praise.
You, O Lord have made a way.
The great divide, You healed.
For when our hearts were far away,
Your love went further still.
Yes, Your love goes further still. (Chorus)
Bridge:
We lift up our eyes, Lift up our eyes. You’re the giver of life. (Repeat x3, then chorus)
Words and Music: Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin, 2008; CCLI 11310292
Second Bible Reading—Psalm 4
For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2 O sons of men, how long will my glory become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble, and do not sin;
meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD!
7 You have put gladness in my heart,
more than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.
The reader says
This is the word of the Lord.
The congregation replies
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The Way to Good Bernard Howard
Psalm 4
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
Words and Music: Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, 2001; CCLI 11310292
Benediction
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.