We had an excellent time of worshiping God together this past Sunday! It's always so good to come together and be reminded of the Gospel over and over again, to be called into God's presence, to confess our sins together, to remember Christ's work for us, and to be sent back out as missionaries to our city. Below is a rundown of all that happened as we gathered this past Sunday:

-Opening Song: "Oh, Our Lord" by All Sons & Daughters

CALL TO WORSHIP 

Hear the call to worship from Isaiah 55...

 

“Come, everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

Come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

And your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

And delight yourselves in rich food

Incline your ear, and come to me;

Hear, that your soul may live…

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;

Call upon him while he is near;

Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,

And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

Neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are my ways higher than your ways

And my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

- Song: "How Deep The Father's Love for Us" 

CONFESSION OF SIN 

Let us confess our sins to the Father together…

 

Father,

It is difficult to see the Pharisee within ourselves,

and painful to admit how hypocritical and judgmental we truly are.

We see the sins of others with crystal clarity,

yet are deceived and mesmerized daily by our own outward goodness.

We excel at performing for the applause of the watching world,

while ignoring and hiding the sinful thoughts 

that dominate our mind every day.

We lust, covet, and exalt ourselves daily.

We steal Your glory by taking credit for Your work in our lives,

creating entire kingdoms in our imagination

where we are worshiped instead of You.

Holy Spirit, put to death the Pharisee in our souls.

Give us true and sober judgement about ourselves,

and honest courage to admit what incredible sinner we are.

Rescue us from the love of our own reputation,

and change our hearts, we pray,

and cause us to see Jesus daily, to love Him deeply,

and to become like Him as we adore Him in all His brilliant glory.

Amen

 

ABSOLUTION 

Hear the good news from the book of 1 John...

 

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

To you who confess your sins to God this morning, you are cleansed of your unrighteousness!

 

- Song: "Grace Alone" by Dustin Kensrue

PROFESSION OF FAITH: MSA Catechism Q. 16-19

Let us profess our faith together by answering the following questions from the Morning Star Catechism...

 

L: Q16 -Who were our first parents?

 

C: A - Adam and Eve.

 

L & C: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:27

 

L: Q17 - Of what were our first parents made?

 

C: A - God made the body of Adam out of the ground, and formed Eve from the body of Adam.

 

L & C: “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”- Genesis 2:7

 

“So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” - Genesis 2:21-22

 

L: Q18- What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies?

 

C: A -He gave them spirits.

 

L & C: “and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”- Eccl. 12:7

 

L: Q19 - Have you a spirit as well as a body?

 

C: A -Yes.

 

L & C: “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” 

- 1 Corinthians 2:11

- Song: "More Like You" by Sacred City Church

- Sermon: "A Good Meal With Bad Company" by Pastor Justin Dean

- Communion

LITURGICAL PRAYER 

Please Stand and let us pray to our Father together...

 

Almighty and everlasting God,

who hates nothing that You have made

and forgives the sins of all those who are penitent,

create and make in us new and contrite hearts,

that we, worthily lamenting our sins 

and acknowledging our wretchedness,

may obtain from You, God of all mercy,

perfect remission and forgiveness;

through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

- Song of Response

 

BENEDICTION 

As we leave here today…

May the grace of Christ, which daily renews us, and the love of God, which enables us to love all, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, which unites us in one body, make us eager to obey the will of God until we meet again, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

[based on 2 Corinthians 13:13]

 

L: Peace be with you!  C: And also with you!