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Call to Worship
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
Psalm 96:1–3 (NKJV)
Hymn # 164 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
1 O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace. 2 My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad the honors of thy name. 3 Jesus, the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; 'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life and health and peace. 4 He breaks the pow'r of reigning sin, he sets the pris'ner free; his blood can make the foulest clean, his blood availed for me. 5 He speaks and, list'ning to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice; the humble poor believe. 6 Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, your loosen'd tongues employ; ye blind, behold your Savior come; and leap, ye lame, for joy.
Call To Confession
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“Whoever would love life and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8–12 citing Psalm 34:12-16 (NIV):
Confession of Sins
Let us pray to the Lord confessing our sin, saying together:
Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
Psalm 40:11–13 (NIV)
Word of Comfort
As we are weary and burdened by our sin and our troubles, our Lord Jesus says to us:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV)
Song of Renewal
Jesus! I do now receive him, more than all in him I find; he hath granted me forgiveness, I am his, and he is mine.
Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.
Trinity Hymnal # 498, stanza 5
Scripture Lessons:
John 1:1–18 (NKJV):
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 14:6 (NKJV):
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Sermon
Hymn # 154 Thou Art the Way
1 Thou art the Way: to thee alone from sin and death we flee; and he who would the Father seek must seek him, Lord, by thee.
2 Thou art the Truth: thy Word alone true wisdom can impart; thou only canst inform the mind, and purify the heart.
3 Thou art the Life: the rending tomb proclaims thy conquering arm, and those who put their trust in thee nor death nor hell shall harm.
4 Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life: grant us that Way to know, that Truth to keep, that Life to win, whose joys eternal flow.
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 # 691 It Is Well with My Soul
1 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, "It is well, it is well with my soul."
Refrain: It is well with my soul; it is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and has shed his own blood for my soul. [Refrain]
3 My sin– O the bliss of this glorious thought!– my sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more; praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! [Refrain]
4 O Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend; "Even so"– it is well with my soul. [Refrain]
Benediction
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