The Lord’s Day

October 18, 2009

 

Your God has commanded your strength;

Show Yourself strong, O God, who have acted on our behalf.

(Psalm 68:28)

 

 

Prelude

 

Apostolic Greeting

 

*Call to Worship Psalm 68:1–3

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered,

And let those who hate Him flee before Him.

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God.

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God;

Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

 

*Gloria Patri         No. 734

 

*Prayer of Invocation

 

*Hymn   Before Jehovah’s Awesome Throne   No. 65

 

Public Confession

By grace, we appear before You, O Lord, as Your redeemed people. Hear our confession, therefore, for the sake of our Savior. Forgive us for those times when our words were used wrongly and caused misunderstanding or dissension. Forgive us for those times when we were selfish and did not act like those who have received so much from You. And forgive us for every instance when we took for granted Your kindness or failed to make right use of Your many blessings.

 

Words of Assurance           Romans 1:16, 17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

 

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: Articles 5 & 6

What are the sources of unbelief and faith?

The cause for unbelief, as well as for all other sins, is not at all in God, but in man. Faith in Jesus Christ, however, and salvation through Him is a free gift of God.

What are we to understand by the term “eternal decree”?

The fact that some receive from God the gift of faith, and that others do not, stems from His eternal decision. In accordance with this decision He graciously softens the hearts of His chosen ones and inclines them to believe, but by His just judgment He leaves in their wickedness and hardness of heart those who have not been chosen. This is the well-known decision of election and reprobation revealed in God’s Word. This decision the wicked distort to their own ruin, but it provides holy and godly souls with comfort beyond words.

 

  Pastoral Prayer

 

*Responsive Reading Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels;

Praise Him, all His hosts!

Praise Him, sun and moon;

Praise Him, all stars of light!

Praise Him, highest heavens,

And the waters that are above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For He commanded and they were created.

He has also established them forever and ever;

He has made a decree which will not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,

Sea monsters and all deeps;

Fire and hail, snow and clouds;

Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;

Mountains and all hills;

Fruit trees and all cedars;

Beasts and all cattle;

Creeping things and winged fowl;

Kings of the earth and all peoples;

Princes and all judges of the earth;

 

 

 

 

 

Both young men and virgins;

Old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above earth and heaven.

And He has lifted up a horn for His people, praise for all His godly ones;

Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.

Praise the Lord!

 

*Hymn   Holy God, We Praise Thy Name   No. 103

 

*Public Reading of the Word The Gospel of John 5:28–47

 

*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word

 

Sermon   The Word of the Lord to Jeroboam          1 Kings 14

 

Sacrament of Baptism             Mara Chrysanthemum Eaton

 

  Hymn   Let Children Hear   No. 364

 

  Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper+

 

*Hymn I Know That My Redeemer Lives   No. 281

 

*Benediction

 

*Threefold Amen       No. 740

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Congregation will please stand

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

 



[†] Based on The Canons of Dordt (edited for use in the worship bulletin)