Service Preview for March 24

Service Preview for March 24

Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Psalm 29:2-10 (CSB17)

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The God of glory thunders—
the voice of the LORD in power,
the voice of the LORD in splendor.

Men: The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars.
Women: The voice of the LORD flashes flames of fire.
Men: The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness.
Women: The voice of the LORD strips the woodlands bare.
All: In his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, King forever.

Our Sung Call to Worship
How Great Thou Art

Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Confession
From The Book of Common Prayer

Let us confess our sins to Almighty God.

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from your ways
like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices
and desires of our hearts
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone those things
which we ought to have done,
we have done those things
which we ought not to have done.

But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
you spare those who confess their faults,
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared to us
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous,
and sober life,
to the glory of your holy Name.

Amen.

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 Romans 5:8-10 (ESV)

God shows his love for us
in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood,
much more shall we be saved by him
from the wrath of God.

For if while we were enemies
we were reconciled to God
by the death of his Son,
much more, now that we are reconciled,
shall we be saved by his life.

Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Give Me Jesus

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

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
All I Have Is Christ

Scripture Reading
Luke 12:49-13:9 (ESV)

49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

This is the Good News of Jesus.
O come, let us adore him!

Sermon
Luke 12:49-13:9 – Unless You Repent – 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