Welcome Call to Worship Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
Psalm 47:6-8 (NKJV)
Hymn #101 Come, Thou Almighty King
1 Come, thou Almighty King, help us thy name to sing, help us to praise. Father, all glorious, o'er all victorious, come and reign over us, Ancient of Days. 2 Come, thou Incarnate Word, gird on thy mighty sword, our prayer attend. Come, and thy people bless, and give thy Word success; Spirit of holiness, on us descend. 3 Come, Holy Comforter, thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour. Thou who almighty art, now rule in every heart, and ne'er from us depart, Spirit of pow'r. 4 To the great One in Three eternal praises be, hence evermore. His sovereign majesty may we in glory see, and to eternity love and adore.
Call To Confession
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found.
Psalm 32:5-6 (NKJV)
Confession of Sins
Let us, therefore, confess ours sins, saying together:
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me... Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities" through Jesus your Son. Amen.
Word of Assurance
For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:11–13 (NKJV)
Song of Renewal
Gracious God my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from thee,
Let thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation's joy impart.
Steadfast make my willing heart.
#486, stanza 5 (Ps 51:10-11)
Scripture Lesson:
Titus 1:10–16 (NKJV):
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Sermon
Hymn #567 Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray
1 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray, from thy sleep awaken; be not by the evil day unawares o'ertaken. For the foe, well we know, oft his harvest reapeth while the Christian sleepeth.
2 Watch against the devil's snares, lest asleep he find thee; for indeed no pains he spares to deceive and blind thee. Satan's prey oft are they who secure are sleeping and no watch are keeping.
3 Watch! Let not the wicked world with its pow'r defeat thee. Watch lest with her pomp unfurled she betray and cheat thee. Watch and see lest there be faithless friends to charm thee, who but seek to harm thee.
4 Watch against thyself, my soul, lest with grace thou trifle; let not self thy thoughts control nor God's mercy stifle. Pride and sin lurk within all thy hopes to scatter; heed not when they flatter.
5 But while watching, also pray to the Lord unceasing. He will free thee, be thy stay, strength and faith increasing. O Lord, bless in distress and let nothing swerve me from the will to serve thee.
Prayer of the Church with the Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:
“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.”
Hymn #580 Lead On, O King Eternal
1 Lead on, O King eternal, the day of march has come; henceforth in fields of conquest thy tents shall be our home: through days of preparation thy grace has made us strong, and now, O King eternal, we lift our battle song. 2 Lead on, O King eternal, till sin's fierce war shall cease, and holiness shall whisper the sweet amen of peace; for not with swords loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums, but deeds of love and mercy, the heav'nly kingdom comes. 3 Lead on, O King eternal, we follow, not with fears; for gladness breaks like morning where'er thy face appears; thy cross is lifted o'er us; we journey in its light: the crown awaits the conquest; lead on, O God of might.
Benediction
