May 4, 2025

Order Of Worship

May 4, 2025

‍

*Call to Worship | Psalm 73:25-26 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.

‍

Minister: Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

‍

People: My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

‍

*Song of Adoration | I Stand Amazed

We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.

‍

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.

‍

How marvelous! How wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

How marvelous! How wonderful!

Is my Savior’s love for me!

‍

For me it was in the garden, He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine.”

He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat-drops of blood for mine.

‍

Chorus

‍

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered, and died alone.

‍

Chorus

‍

When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see,

’Twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me.

‍

/ Chorus /

‍

Music and Lyrics: Charles Hutchison Gabriel

‍

*Confession of Faith | Philippians 2:5-11

With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.

‍

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

‍

*Song of Confession | Jesus! What A Friend of Sinners

Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

‍

Jesus! What a friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul;

Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He, my Savior, makes me whole.

‍

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Hallelujah! What a friend!

Saving, helping, keeping, loving,

He is with me to the end.

‍

Jesus! What a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him.

Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my strength, my victory wins.

Chorus

‍

Jesus! What a help in sorrow! While the billows o’er me roll,

Even when my heart is breaking, He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Chorus

‍

Jesus! I do now receive Him, more than all in Him I find.

He hath granted me forgiveness, I am His, and He is mine.

‍

Chorus

‍

Music and Lyrics: John Wilbur Chapman, Rowland Prichard

Confession of Sin

We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.

‍

Most holy and merciful Father; we acknowledge and confess before you our sinful nature prone to evil and slothful in good; and all our shortcomings and offenses. You alone know how often we have sinned; in wandering from your ways; in wasting your gifts; in forgetting your love. O Lord, have mercy upon us who are ashamed and sorry for everything in which we have displeased you. Teach us to hate our errors. Cleanse us from our secret faults. And forgive our sins for the sake of your dear Son. And O most holy and loving Father, help us, to live in your light and walk in your ways according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

‍

Assurance of Pardon | Galatians 3:28-29  | Rev. Blake Arnoult

The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.

‍

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

‍

*Song of Response | Jesus Loves Me

We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

‍

Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong.

‍

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

The Bible tells me so.

‍

Jesus loves me, He who died.

Heaven's gates to open wide.

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Chorus

‍

The Bible tells me so

The Bible tells me so.

Music and Lyrics: Anna Bartlett Warner, William Batchelder Bradbury

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.

‍

Song of Thanks | Sweet Comfort

As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.

‍

Whatever my God ordains is right

His holy will abides

I will be still whatever he does

And follow where he guides

‍

Sweet comfort, sweet comfort

Yet shall fill my heart

Sweet comfort, sweet comfort

Sorrow shall depart

‍

Whatever my God ordains is right

He makes my feet to stand

Though sorrow, need, or death be mine

He holds me in his hand

‍

Chorus

‍

This bitter cup, I take it

My fainting heart restored

So here I stand, unshaken

I trust upon the Lord

‍

Chorus

‍

He is my God though dark my road

He holds me, I shall not fall

Whatever my God ordains is right

To him I leave it all

‍

Chorus

‍

Music and Lyrics: Latifah Phillips and Sandra McCracken

‍

Sacrament of Baptism

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Baptism, as the administration of the element of water, symbolizes a flood. Baptism is a sign of death and judgment. That sign signifies that you experience death and judgment not by yourself but with Christ, and in being united to him in judgment he takes the curse we deserve for us and we come out of judgment to resurrection and eternal life. That sign signifies more than just the future judgment that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experienced judgment by God in the Spirit with Jesus. The function of baptism is to be a ratifying seal to those who profess faith in Christ as Lord and Savior as their entrance into the covenant community as belonging to our Lord and his family. Therefore, as believing parents submit themselves to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is appropriate and expected that they bring their children who are under their parental authority under the authority of the Lord and that those children receive the sign of baptism as belonging to the covenant community.

‍

Prayer for Christ’s Church

We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.

‍

*Reading of Scripture | Ephesians 5:15-33  | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.

‍

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

‍

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

‍

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

‍

Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

‍

The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult

‍

“Married to Each Other, Married to God”

Ephesians: The Gospel of the Church

‍

Pastoral Prayer

‍

Sacrament of Communion

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.

‍

You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table.

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

‍

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution

‍

Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:

People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah!

Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.

Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.

‍

Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from  grape juice.

‍

A communion 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 to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

‍

Communion Song | Cornerstone

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

‍

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' name

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' name

Christ alone, Cornerstone,

Weak made strong in the Savior's love

Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of all

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

My anchor holds within the veil

Chorus

He is Lord, Lord of all

           Chorus

When He shall come

With trumpet sound

Oh may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless, stand before the throne

‍

Music and Lyrics: Edward Mote, Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin, Reuben Morgan

‍

Departing Song | What A Friend We Have In Jesus

We begin to end in faith and song.

‍

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

‍

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

‍

Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms he’ll take and shield thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there.

‍

Music and Lyrics: Joseph Medlicott Scriven

‍

*Benediction | Numbers 6:24-26 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.

‍

²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you;

²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

‍

‍