The Lord’s Day
January 20, 2008
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
(Psalm 36:5)
Prelude
Apostolic Greeting
*Call to Worship Psalm 145:1–3
I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
*Gloria Patri No. 734
*Prayer of Invocation
*Hymn All Creatures of Our God and King No. 115
Public Confession
We love You, heavenly Father, and we are grateful for Your abundant kindness. Our sin troubles us because we know You are holy in all Your ways. Therefore, we ask forgiveness for our careless words and our neglect of duty. We ask forgiveness for our failure to extend mercy as it has been extended to us.
Words of Assurance Psalm 25:6–8
Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
Response Searcher of Hearts (facing page)
Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings
Collection of the Tithe and Offerings
*Doxology No. 731
*Declaring Our Faith The Larger Catechism (94, 95)
Is there any use of the moral law to man since the fall?
Although no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness and life by the moral law; yet there is great use thereof, as well common to all men, as peculiar either to the unregenerate, or the regenerate.
Of what use is the moral law to all men?
The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and will of God, and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly; to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives; to humble them in the sense of their sin and misery, and thereby help them to a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and of the perfection of His obedience.
Pastoral Prayer
*Responsive Reading Proverbs 19:15–29
Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle man will suffer hunger.
He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of conduct will die.
One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his good deed.
Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.
A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days.
Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
Strike a scoffer and the naive may become shrewd,
But reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge.
He who assaults his father and drives his mother away is a shameful and disgraceful son.
Cease listening, my son, to discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.
Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And blows for the back of fools.
*Hymn Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me No. 335
*Public Reading of the Word Galatians 5
*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word
Sermon Matthew 13:44–58
Hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross No. 252
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper+
*Hymn Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder No. 172
*Benediction
*Threefold Amen No. 740
* Congregation will please stand
+ Visitors: please see the note on the back of this bulletin