Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 (ESV)
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
To draw near to listen is better than
to offer the sacrifice of fools,
for they do not know that they are doing evil.
Be not rash with your mouth,
nor let your heart be hasty
to utter a word before God,
for God is in heaven and you are on earth.
Therefore let your words be few.
For a dream comes with much business,
and a fool’s voice with many words.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Speak O Lord
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
From Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 (ESV)
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it,
for he has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you vow.
It is better that you should not vow
than that you should vow and not pay.
Let not your mouth lead you into sin,
and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake.
Why should God be angry at your voice
and destroy the work of your hands?
For when dreams increase
and words grow many,
there is vanity;
but God is the one you must fear.
Lord, we confess that we have been fools:
quick to speak and slow to hear;
breaking our vows to you and to our neighbors;
making excuses instead of confessing sin;
quarreling over our own visions
and fighting to fulfill our dreams
instead of fearing and obeying you.
Our Sung Confession
Be Thou My Vision
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
Based on Micah 7:18-20; 1 John 4:9-10 (CSB)
Who is a God like ours,
forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion?
He does not hold on to his anger forever
because he delights in faithful love.
He has had compassion on us;
he has vanquished our iniquities.
He has cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
How has God done these things?
God sent his one and only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.
God loved us and sent his Son
to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Great Is Thy Faithulness
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
Be Unto Your Name
Scripture Reading
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 (ESV)
8If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes. 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
This is the Word of the Lord.
The grass withers
and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen!
Sermon
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20 – “A Satisfied Mind”- Pastor Eric Schumacher
The Lord’s Supper
This morning we will be celebrating the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.
If you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, have been baptized and are a member in good standing of a local church we invite you to share in this covenant meal with us.
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.
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.
PRAYER OF BELIEF
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 form the dead, I turn form my sins and receive You as My Savior and Lord. Amen.
PRAYER OF COMMITMENT
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 the 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.
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.
Prayer for the Earle Family
Blessing Song
The Doxology