Service for March 23, 2025

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Welcome

Call to Worship

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Psalm 103:1

Hymn # 53 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear,

now to his temple draw near,

join me in glad adoration.

2 Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,

shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen

how thy desires e'er have been

granted in what he ordaineth?

3 Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee!

Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;

ponder anew

what the Almighty will do,

if with his love he befriend thee.

4 Praise to the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee,

decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee.

How oft in grief

hath not he brought thee relief,

spreading his wings to o'ershade thee!

5 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him!

Let the amen

sound from his people again;

gladly fore'er we adore him.

Call To Confession

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:9–14 (NKJV):

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.

Psalm 130:1–4 (NKJV)

Confession of Sins

Let us, therefore, confess our sin, saying together:

Merciful Heavenly Father, pardon us our many sins; the sins we know and the sins hidden from our conscience. Cleanse us from wrong motives and forgive us for feeble obedience. By your Spirit renew our hearts to love you, our minds to know you, and our wills to obey you. For we ask this mercy in the name of your Son who shed his blood for us. Amen.

Word of Assurance

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Romans 5:8–9 (NKJV)

Song of Renewal – Come Home (choir)

Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 2:11-3:13

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Sermon

Hymn # 369 Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns

1 Shout, for the blessed Jesus reigns;

through distant lands his triumphs spread;

and sinners, freed from endless pains,

own him their Savior and their Head.

2 He calls his chosen from afar,

they all at Zion's gates arrive;

those who were dead in sin before

by sovereign grace are made alive.

3 Gentiles and Jews his laws obey;

nations remote their off'rings bring,

and unconstrained their homage pay

to their exalted God and King.

4 O may his holy church increase,

his Word and Spirit still prevail,

while angels celebrate his praise,

and saints his growing glories hail.

5 Loud hallelujahs to the Lamb,

from all below, and all above!

In lofty songs exalt his name,

in songs as lasting as his love.

Prayer of the Church and the Lord’s Prayer

“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 # 467 Wonderful Grace of Jesus

1 Wonderful grace of Jesus,

greater than all my sin;

how shall my tongue describe it,

where shall its praise begin?

Taking away my burden,

setting my spirit free;

for the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Refrain:

Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,

deeper than the mighty rolling sea;

Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,

all-sufficient grace for even me;

broader than the scope of my transgressions,

greater far than all my sin and shame,

O magnify the precious name of Jesus,

praise his name!

2 Wonderful grace of Jesus,

reaching a mighty host,

by it I have been pardoned,

saved to the uttermost,

Chains have been torn asunder,

giving me liberty;

For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. [Refrain]

3 Wonderful grace of Jesus,

reaching the most defiled,

by its transforming power,

making him God's dear child,

purchasing peace and heaven,

for all eternity;

and the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. [Refrain]

Benediction