Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 138 (CSB17)
I will give you thanks with all my heart;
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your constant
love and truth.
You have exalted your name and your promise
above everything else.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength within me.
All the kings on earth will give you thanks, LORD,
when they hear what you have promised.
They will sing of the LORD’s ways,
for the LORD’s glory is great.
Though the LORD is exalted, he takes note of the humble;
but he knows the haughty from a distance.
If I walk into the thick of danger,
you will preserve my life from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
your right hand will save me.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me.
LORD, your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Come Thou Fount
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
From Jeremiah 2:12-13 (ESV)
Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Lord, we confess that we have sinned against you.
We have forsaken you, the fountain of living waters.
We have denied your goodness.
We have not believed that you satisfy.
We have sought happiness through our own efforts.
We have sought ultimate satisfaction in temporary things.
Our sin leaves us thirsty, hungry, weak, and dying.
We desperately need your grace and mercy.
Show us your favor
and give us yourself.
TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION
Our Sung Confession
Give Me Jesus
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
From Hebrews 7:21-28
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever.”
Because of this oath, Jesus has also become
the guarantee of a better covenant.
Now many have become Levitical priests,
since they are prevented by death from remaining in office.
But because he remains forever,
he holds his priesthood permanently.
Therefore, he is able to save completely
those who come to God through him,
since he always lives to intercede for them.
For this is the kind of high priest we need:
holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,
and exalted above the heavens.
He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—
first for their own sins, then for those of the people.
He did this once for all time when he offered himself.
For the law appoints as high priests men who are week,
but the promise of the oath, which came after the law,
appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Unchanging God
Thanksgiving and Petition
We Give Thanks in Prayer and Offer Petitions to God
We express our gratitude to God our Father for Christ’s work on the cross for us and bring our requests before him. In bringing our requests, we confess that we believe God truly is a good father, who cares about our needs and gives us what he knows is best.
We Give Thanks by Giving
We give financial offerings to support the work of the church because of our gratitude to God. By giving we confess we are trusting in God’s provision for us as well.
On the first Sunday of each month we have two offerings—one for the general fund and a second one for the benevolence ministry of our church.
We Give Thanks in Song
It Is Well With My Soul
Scripture Reading
Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
This is the word of the Lord,
a lamp for our feet and a light on our path.
Sermon
Luke 1:1-4 – “The Gospel of Luke: That You May Know the Truth” – Pastor Michael Felkins
Sending
Having heard and confessed the Gospel, we are sent into the world on mission in Christ, which we express in both song and spoken word.
Sending Song
Good To Me
Blessing
From 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (CSB17)
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement
and good hope by grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good
work and word.