THE LORD'S DAY

May 5, 2002 - 10:30 A.M.

Worship Theme: God’s Love

PRELUDE

ACTIVITIES & CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH

SPECIAL MUSIC

WELCOMING THE ASSEMBLY

PASTOR: The Lord be with you!
PEOPLE: And also with you!

CONFESSING OUR SINS

ALL: Almighty God, you love us but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, and greed.

God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you come in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

CONFESSING OUR SINS PRIVATELY

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

PASTOR: Hear the promises of God to those who truly repent of their sins and trust in Christ: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Now, lift up your hearts!

PEOPLE: We lift them up to the Lord!

DRAWING NEAR TO WORSHIP

Blessed Be the Lord God Almighty

Father in heaven, how we love You, we lift Your name in all the earth.
May Your kingdom be established in our praises,
As Your people declare Your mighty works.

Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come;
Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, who reigns forevermore.

Bob Fitts * 1984 and this arr. * 1987 Scripture in Song. Admin. by Maranatha! Music. Used by permission. CCLI #89178

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Wonderful, merciful Savior, precious Redeemer and Friend.
Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men.
Oh, You rescue the souls of men.

You are the One that we praise, You are the One we adore,
You give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for,
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Spirit we long to embrace.
You offer hope when our hearts have hopelessly lost the way.
Oh, we hopelessly lost the way.

Repeat Chorus

Almighty, infinite Father, faithfully loving Your own.
Here in our weakness You find us falling before Your throne.
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne.

Repeat Chorus

Dawn Rodgers & Eric Wyse © 1989 Word Music, Inc., Dayspring Music. CCLI #89178

CALL TO WORSHIP

PASTOR: The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.

PEOPLE: The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned be-tween the cherubim, let the earth shake.

PASTOR: O LORD our God, you have answered; you were to Israel a forgiv-ing God, though you punished their misdeeds.

PEOPLE: The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned be-tween the cherubim, let the earth shake.

RESPONDING IN SONG

Like a River Glorious

CONFESSING OUR FAITH

PASTOR: Why can our good works not be our righteousness before God, or at least a part of it?

PEOPLE: Because the righteousness which can stand before God’s judgment must be absolutely perfect and in complete agreement with the law of God, whereas even our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.

PASTOR: But do our good works earn nothing, even though God promises to reward them in this life and the next?

PEOPLE: This reward is not earned; it is a gift of grace.

PASTOR: Does this teaching not make people careless and wicked?

PEOPLE: No. It is impossible that those grafted into Christ by true faith should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

THANKING GOD FOR HIS PRESENCE

PASTOR: We give thanks to you, Lord, for you are good.
ALL: Your love endures forever. Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC

Jesus, I am Resting, Resting

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon thee, as thy beauty fills my soul,
For by thy transforming power, thou hast made me whole.

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.

O how great thy lovingkindness, vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous thy goodness lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in thee, Beloved, know what wealth of grace is thine,
Know thy certainty of promise and have made it mine.

Simply trusting thee, Lord Jesus, I behold thee as thou art,
And thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift thy face upon me as I work and wait for thee;
Resting ’neath thy smile, Lord Jesus, Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory, sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting, fill me with thy grace.

Words by Jean Sophia Pigott, 1876. Music by David B. Hampton, 1998.

PRAYING TOGETHER FOR GOD'S PEOPLE

WORSHIPPING BY GIVING

• Westminster Confession of Faith, I.1

• Prayer - The pastor and another church elder will be available in the front to pray personally with anyone during the offertory.

• Offertory - Mrs. Sue Senzig

PRAISING OUR GOD

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

DEDICATING OUR LIVES & GIFTS

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy 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 Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HEARING SCRIPTURE - Romans 4:16-25

READER: This is the Word of the Lord.
CONGREGATION: Thanks be to God!

GREETING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE

• Children ages 4-5 dismissed to Children's Church in Rooms M1 & M3.

PREPARING TO HEAR GOD'S WORD

Think About His Love

Think about His love, think about his goodness,
Think about His grace that’s brought us through.
For as high as the heavens above,
so great is the measure of our Father’s love;
Great is the measure of our Father’s love.

How could I forget his love? How could I forget His mercy?
He satisfies, He satisfies, He satisfies my desires.
Great is the measure of our Father’s love.

Repeat Chorus

Walt Harrah © 1987 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music. Used by Permission. CCLI #89178 Lyrics (Charitie Lees Bancroft) Public Domain. Music (Vikki Cook) © 1997 PDI Worship, a division of PDI Music. CCLI #89178

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure!
How great the pain of searing loss; the Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life— I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom.

Stuart Townsend © 1995 Kingsway’s Music (ASCAP). Used by Permission. CCLI #89178

APPLYING GOD'S WORD

Laughter - Genesis 17:15-27
(Text and Outline will be included on Sunday)

RESPONDING IN SONG

RECEIVING GOD'S BLESSING

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ; after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

To him be the power forever and ever.

ALL: The Lord is King forever! Hallelujah! Amen.

POSTLUDE