Scripture Reading of Praise Psalm 40:1-11
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn (stand) “Sing Praise to God, Who Reigns Above” Cantus 324-5
Passage of Confession Genesis 13:12-13
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD.
Personal Silent Prayer of Confession (kneel)
Corporate Prayer of Confession (All Together):
Most gracious and most merciful God, we confess to you that time after time we have entered your presence with countless prayers but with hearts that have been closed to your Spirit. We have lifted our hands to you in praise, but our feet have still walked in the ways of the flesh. We have rehearsed your commandments but have refused to see your face in the needs of our neighbor. We pray, Lord, that you forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Grant us the healing that comes from your presence and the cleansing of your all-powerful Word, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 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) “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed?” Trinity 195
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 12: Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how may we escape this punishment and be again received into favor?
Answer: God wills that His justice be satisfied; therefore, we must make full satisfaction to that justice, either by ourselves or by another.
Q13: Can we ourselves then make this satisfaction?
a: Certainly not; on the contrary, we daily increase our guilt.
q14: Can any mere creature make satisfaction for us?
a: None; for first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man committed; and further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God’s eternal wrath against sin and redeem others from it.
q15: What kind of mediator and redeemer, then, must we seek?
a: One who is a true and righteous man, and yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.
Hymn (stand) “In Every Time” PSalm 34 Cantus 60-61
The Reading of the Universal Word (stand)
Old Testament Isaiah 29:13-14
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
New Testament Matthew 11:20-30 Congregation: Thanks be to God!
Pastoral Prayer (sit)
Concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (all together)
Preaching of the Word
“The Wisdom of God” 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Hymn (stand) “In Christ Alone” 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)