The Lord’s Day

April 27, 2008

My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold;

I shall not be greatly shaken.

(Psalm 62:1, 2)

  Prelude

  Apostolic Greeting

*Call to Worship                                                     Psalm 36:5-7

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep.

O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!

And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

*Gloria Patri                                                                      No. 734

*Prayer of Invocation

*Hymn        Lord, with Glowing Heart I’d Praise Thee   No. 80

Give Praise to God           (facing page)

  Public Confession

Heavenly Father, we confess that we have not guarded our lips, as Your Word directs us. And we have not guarded our hearts, according to the warnings of Scripture. Instead, we have spoken sinfully and entertained wicked thoughts. Please forgive us for these transgressions.

We also confess that we have not given to You all our mind, heart, and strength. And we have not treated our neighbor as we would desire to be treated. Please forgive us for these sins.

  Words of Assurance                                              John 1:11-13

He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

  Response                            Psalm 136B                         (page 4)

  Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings

  Collection of the Tithe and Offerings

*Doxology                                                                          No. 731

*Declaring Our Faith           The Larger Catechism (168, 169)

What is the Lord’s Supper?

The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, His death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate feed upon His body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their union and communion with Him confirmed; testify and renew their thankfulness and engagement to God, and their mutual love and fellowship with each other, as members of the same mystical body.

How has Christ appointed bread and wine to be given and received in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper?

Christ has appointed the ministers of His Word, in the administration of this sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, to set apart the bread and wine from common use, by the word of institution, thanksgiving, and prayer; to take and break the bread, and to give both the bread and the wine to the communicants: who are, by the same appointment, to take and eat the bread, and to drink the wine, in thankful remembrance that the body of Christ was broken and given, and His blood shed, for them.

  Pastoral Prayer

*Responsive Reading Proverbs 24:1-18

Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them;

For their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;

And by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power.

For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Wisdom is too exalted for a fool, he does not open his mouth in the gate.

One who plans to do evil, men will call him a schemer.

The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men.

If you are slack in the day of distress, your strength is limited.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, oh hold them back.

If you say, “See, we did not know this,” does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?

And does He not know it who keeps your soul?

And will He not render to man according to his work?

My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;

Do not destroy his resting place;

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,

But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

Or the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him.

*Hymn        I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art No. 168

*Public Reading of the Word                                  Colossians 1

*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word

  Sermon                                                            Matthew 17:1–13

  Hymn              Fountain of Never-Ceasing Grace       No. 519

  Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper⁺

*Hymn                           All Praise to Christ                    (page 5)

*Benediction

*Threefold Amen                                                               No. 740

* Congregation will please stand

⁺ Visitors: please see the note on the back of this bulletin