Christ’s Gifts to His Church
Call to Worship
1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
Prayer of Invocation
“O eternal, Almighty, and most gracious God: heaven is your throne, and earth is your footstool; holy and reverend is your name. You are praised by the heavenly hosts, and in the congregation of your saints on earth, and you will be sanctified by all that come near to you. We are sinful and unworthy; but being invited by you, we are bold, through our blessed Mediator, to present ourselves and our supplications before you. Receive us graciously; help us by your Spirit: let your fear be upon us; let your word come to us in power, and be received in love, with attentive, reverent, and obedient minds. Make it to us a savor of life unto life. Cause us to be fervent in prayer, and joyful in your praises, and to serve you this day without distraction; that we may find that a day in your court is better than a thousand, and that it is good for us to draw near to God; though Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.” (Adapted from Baxter’s Savoy Liturgy)
Song of Praise
All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name · Lyrics & Audio
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
*Take time after the Lord’s Prayer in silent confession.
Assurance of Pardon
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Confession of Faith
46. What do you mean by saying, “He ascended to heaven”?
That Christ, while his disciples watched, was taken up from the earth into heaven and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.
49. How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us?
First, he is our advocate in heaven in the presence of his Father.
Second, we have our own flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that Christ our head will also take us, his members, up to himself.
Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth as a corresponding pledge. By the Spirit’s power we seek not earthly things but the things above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand.
Heidelberg Catechism Questions 46 & 49
Song of Worship
Hail the Day · Lyrics & Audio
Prayer of Intercession
Take time as a family to pray for the church, for our leaders, for the world, for the abating of the virus, and other needs you know of. You can always look at the prayer requests in the weekly email.
Offering to the Lord
One of the ways believers worship when physically gathered is through giving. Currently we can’t do that. Many do however give online. If you would like to, you can do so here. Or you may mail a check to our mailing address. (Note: if you are out of work and find yourself in need - please contact our deacons).
As a song during this time: Hail to the Lord’s Anointed · Audio & Lyrics · Lyrics & Chords
Scripture Reading
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Message
“Christ’s Gifts to His Church”
Song of Response
Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee · Lyrics & Video
Scriptural Benediction
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.