Scripture Reading of Praise Psalm 24
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn (stand) “Come Ye That Love the Lord” Cantus 348
Passage of Confession Ephesians 4:11-15
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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, 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. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
Personal Silent Prayer of Confession (kneel)
Corporate Prayer of Confession (All Together):
Our most holy and merciful Father, be gracious to us according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin. For we know our transgressions and our sin is ever before us. Against You Lord, and You alone, we have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Forgive us for the sake of Your Son and our precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon (stand) Micah 7:19
He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Pastor: Our sins are forgiven through Christ.
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
Hymn (stand) “Great God, How Infinite” Trinity 22
The Apostles’ Creed AD Second Century
Pastor: Christian, what do you believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin, Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into Hades;
The third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Heidelberg Catechism ad 1563
Question 33: Why is He called God’s “only begotten Son,” since we also are the children of God?
Answer: Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God,but we are children of God by adoption, through grace, for His sake.
q 34: Why do you call Him “our Lord?”
a: Because not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood, He has redeemed and purchased us, body and soul, from sin and from all the power of the devil, to be His own.
q 35: What is the meaning of “conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary?”
a: That the eternal Son of God, who is and continues true and eternal God, took upon Himself the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; so that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, except for sin.
q 36: What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?
a: That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived.
Hymn (stand) “All Peoples, Clap Your Hands” PSalm 47 Cantus 87
The Reading of the Universal Word (stand)
Old Testament Proverbs 3:5-8
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
New Testament Romans 1:18-23 Congregation: Thanks be to God!
Pastoral Prayer (sit)
Concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (all together)
Preaching of the Word
“Be Not Self-Deceived” 1 Corinthians 3:18-23
Hymn (stand) “Before the Throne of God” Back of cantus
Typically, heads of household serve their own families, but this is not mandatory. See our note about Communion on the cover of this bulletin.
Gloria Patri (stand) Cantus 436
Benediction (stand)