Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 68:4-6, 19-20 (NLT)
Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the LORD—
rejoice in his presence!
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms.
Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death.
Our Sung Call to Worship
This Is My Father’s World
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
From Romans 1:18-23; 3:23; 6:23 (ESV)
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to us,
because God has shown it to us.
For his invisible attributes, namely,
his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived,
ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made.
So we are without excuse.
For although we knew God,
we did not honor him as God
or give thanks to him,
but we became futile in our thinking,
and our foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, we became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images.
We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The wages of sin is death.
TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
From Ezekiel 16:4-8; Titus 3:4-7 (CSB17)
As for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.
And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, “Live!’ I said to you in your blood, “Live!”
I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.
When the goodness and loving kindness
of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,
not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy,
by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of he Holy Spirit,
whom he poured out on us richly
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
so that being justified by his grace
we might become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Though I Was Born An Orphan
Who You Say I Am
Child Dedication
God has established a testimony in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
He has commanded us to teach our children to love Christ,
that the next generation might know Him
and arise and speak of Him to their children,
so that they should set their hope in Jesus Christ
and not forget the works of God,
but love Him with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.
—Questions for Parents—
Parents, do you commit
to trust God’s promises made to you and your children in His Word,
to seek God and gospel change in the way you live and parent your children,
to teach God’s Word to them and live life in light of the gospel in your home,
to pray for them and teach them to pray, and
to partner with our church by seeking their help and accountability and leading your children to do the same?
—Parents’ Response—
With God’s help, we will
impress on our children what we have heard and known,
teach them to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and
tell of the glorious deeds of the Lord Jesus—
of His perfect life, His death on the cross and of His resurrection from the dead.
—Charge to the Church—
Church, will you commit
to seek God and seek gospel change in the way you live before these children,
to pray for these children to love Jesus and trust in Him,
to teach them the gospel through both your words and your example,
to partner with these parents through both correction and encouragement,
to pray for these parents, and
to walk with them through the joys and trials of parenting?
—Church’s Response—
We, as Christ’s church,
with joy and thanksgiving,
and by God’s help
promise to love, encourage and support you,
as you follow Christ and train your children in the word of 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.
Scripture Reading
Luke 19:1-10 (ESV)
1He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
This is the Good News of Jesus.
O come, let us adore him!
Sermon
Luke 19:1-10 “The Salvation of Zacchaeus” Pastor Michael Felkins
The Lord’s Supper
This morning we will be observing the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant meal for the people of God whereby we remember the person and work of Christ on the cross to redeem us from our sin. It is a time to reflect, remember and repent. It is also the application of the sermon whereby we confess our sin and continually turn to Jesus for grace.
If you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, have been baptized by immersion and are a member in good standing of a local church we invite you to share in this covenant meal with us.
We also ask that everyone who takes this covenant meal with us remember the warning given by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” So we ask that you examine your heart and your relationship with God through the person and work of Christ.
If you are not able to receive the Lord’s Supper with us, please use this time to meditate on one of the following prayers.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH
Lord Jesus, You claim to be the Way, the Truth and the Life. If what You claim is true, please guide me, teach me and open me to the reality of who You are. Grant that I might be undaunted in my pursuit of knowing You. Give me an understanding of You that is coherent and convincing, and that leads me to the life in You. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through You I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank You for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserve in order to purchase my complete forgiveness. Knowing that You have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive You as My Savior and Lord. Amen.
A PRAYER OF COMMITMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CONFESSED FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus, You have called us to follow You in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in Your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with Your people, and live in the fullness of Your Spirit in a local community of Christ followers. Amen.
adapted from D. A. Carson, ed., Worship by the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002)
Gluten Free Lord’s Supper: The elements of our Lord’s Supper are gluten free.
Please dispose of your Lord’s Supper cup in the waste receptacles near the doors.
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
The Doxology