Call to Worship: From Psalm 99
Pastor: The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
People: The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.
Pastor: Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!
People: Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!
Prayer of Adoration:
Song: Be Thou My Vision – Hymn 642 v.1-2,4-5
1 Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2 Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
4 Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
5 High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
The Old Testament Lesson: From Jeremiah 15:15-21
Prayer of Confession:
Pastor: O eternal God and merciful Father, we humble ourselves before Your great Majesty against which we have frequently and grievously sinned. We acknowledge that we deserve nothing less than eternal death.
People: We are unclean before You, and children of wrath. We continually transgress Your commandments; failing to do what You have commanded us, and doing that which You have expressly forbidden.
Pastor: We all like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.
People: Wash us in the pure fountain of Christ’s blood, so that we may become clean and white as snow. Cover us with His innocence and righteousness, for the glory of Your Name!
Assurance of Pardon: Hosea 14:3
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”
The New Testament Lesson: Romans 12:9-13
Prayer for the Church: Daron Drown, Ruling Elder.
The Sermon: “The Cross and Our Message.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. Dr. Michael Calvert, Teaching Elder.
Confession of Faith: The Apostle’s Creed. Trinity Hymnal, p. 845.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come 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.
*Communion:
Song: Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross – Hymn 264 v.1-4
1 Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all — a healing stream —
flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever;
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river.
2 Near the cross, a trembling soul,
love and mercy found me;
there the Bright and Morning Star
shed its beams around me. [Refrain]
3 Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o’er me. [Refrain]
4 Near the cross I’ll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river. [Refrain]
The Benediction: From Psalm 19:14
May all the words of your mouths and the meditation of your hearts be acceptable in His sight, the Lord, your Rock and your Redeemer. Amen!