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Call to Worship
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea
Psalm 46:1-2
Hymn # 2 O Worship the King
1 O worship the king all glorious above, O gratefully sing his power and his love; Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2 O tell of his might, O sing of his grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space. His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is his path on the wings of the storm. 3 The earth with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, your pow'r has founded of old; Has ‘stablished it fast by a changeless decree, And round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea. 4 Your bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air; it shines in the light; It streams from the hills; it descends to the plain; And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain. 5 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In you do we trust, nor find you to fail; Your mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend! 6 O measureless Might! Ineffable Love! While angels delight to hymn you above, The humbler creation, though feeble their lays, With true adoration shall lisp to your praise.
Call To Confession
Our Lord Jesus says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ And also, ‘Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us... If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Let us, therefore, confess ours sins to the Lord, saying together:
1 John 1:8 (NKJV)
Confession of Sins
Almighty and Gracious Father, we confess to you that we have sinned by not loving you with our whole heart and by not loving our neighbor as ourselves. Our faith is weak and we easily give in to doubt. Forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness in thought, word and deed. For we ask this in the name of your Son, who is our sure Redeemer and our Savior. Amen.
Word of Assurance
Brothers and Sisters in Jesus, our Gracious Heavenly Father has forgiven us our sins according to His word that "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:13–14
Doxology # 731
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heav'nly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Scripture Lesson:
Exodus 21:22–25 (NKJV):
22 If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Luke 1:39-45
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
Sermon
Hymn # 465 Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord
1 Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Refrain: Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.
2 Sin and despair like the sea waves cold, threaten the soul with infinite loss; grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, points to the Refuge, the mighty cross. [Refrain]
3 Dark is the stain that we cannot hide, What can avail to wash it away? Look! there is flowing a crimson tide; Whiter than snow you may be today. [Refrain]
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 # 460 Amazing Grace!
1 Amazing grace! – how sweet the sound– that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
3 Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
4 The Lord has promised good to me, his Word my hope secures; he will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.
5 And when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, I shall possess within the veil a life of joy and peace.
6 When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we've first begun.
Benediction
