The Lord’s Day

October 25, 2009

I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving.

(Psalm 69:30)

Prelude

Apostolic Greeting

*Call to Worship Psalm 77:11–15

I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

I will meditate on all Your work

And muse on Your deeds.

Your way, O God, is holy;

What god is great like our God?

You are the God who works wonders;

You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

You have by Your power redeemed Your people,

The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

*Gloria Patri No. 734

*Prayer of Invocation

*Hymn Wondrous King, All-Glorious No. 166

Public Confession

Without Your mercy, heavenly Father, we would be lost forever. We would never know perfection of Your Word or the joy of walking in obedience before You. But we are redeemed and forgiven in the Savior. We confess, therefore, our many sins, knowing that we are called to be saints; we are called to keep ourselves unspotted in this world. Pardon our sins of speech and conduct; forgive our sins of omission and sins caused by our lack of zeal for Your holiness. Help us to choose the path of righteousness all the days of our lives.

Words of Assurance Romans 5:1, 2

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Response Lead Me, Lord, Lead Me in Thy Righteousness (facing page)

Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings

Collection of the Tithe and Offerings

*Doxology No. 731

*Declaring Our Faith[†] The Canons of Dordt: Article 7

What does the Bible teach concerning election?

Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of His will, God chose in Christ for salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.

Did God take into account the worthiness of those elected?

Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but shared with them in a common misery. He did this in Christ, whom He also appointed from eternity to be the Mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. The chosen ones were given to Christ to be saved. God calls and draws the elect effectively into Christ’s fellowship through His Word and Spirit.

Pastoral Prayer

*Responsive Reading Psalm 1

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.

*Hymn Blest Are the Undefiled No. 557

*Public Reading of the Word The Gospel of John 6:1–21

*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word

Sermon The Ministry of Elijah (part 1): Introduction 1 Kings 17-19

Hymn O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High! No. 155

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper⁺

Offering for the Ministry of the Deacons

*Hymn How Marvelous, How Wise, How Great (following page)

*Benediction

*Threefold Amen No. 740

* Congregation will please stand

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