Prelude

Come, All Christians, Be Committed arr. Aaron David Miller

Lead On, O King Eternal arr. Charles Callahan

Call to Worship

•Doxology (Trinity Hymnal 731) Old Hundredth

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

•Prayer of Confession

O God, our great Redeemer and Savior, too often have we looked to our own works rather than trusting in the finished work of Christ. It is hard for us to admit that our sin permeates every thought and action. We continue to presume upon your grace by thinking you must love us because of something you see in us. Forgive us for the times we behave like the Pharisee, who boasted in his own righteousness, and belittled the one who came to you for mercy. Make us to know our sin, and be merciful to us, according to your grace freely given to us through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

•The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Matthew 5:3–4

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

•Invocation

•Hymn 382: God Himself Is with Us Wunderbarer König

Responsive Reading: Psalm 78:32–55 (page 489)

•Gloria Patri (Trinity Hymnal 734) Meineke

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

•Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. he ascended into ­­heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of Intercession (concluding with 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.

Announcements

•Hymn: I Will Glory in My Redeemer Vikki Cook

(In the 11am service, Praisemakers, ages 4–kindergarten, may go to B2; CLICK, grades 1–2, may go to B1)

•Offering Prayer

Offertory: In the Cross of Christ I Glory arr. Robert Powel

Scripture Reading: Ezra 3 (page 390)

Sermon: The Festivals of God Dr. Liam Goligher

•Hymn 343: Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation Westminster Abbey

•Benediction

•Postlude: Westminster Abbey arr. Ashley Grote

Serving this morning:
Dr. Enrique Leal, 9am platform
Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos, 11am platform
Colin Howland, organist

About Worship

Two Pillars

The worship of God is based on two foundational pillars: who God is and what he has done for us in the gospel. He is worthy of praise simply because he is God and we are not. He is the Creator, we are his creatures. The Psalmist says, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). He is infinite in his being, power, knowledge, and love. Simply put, he is awe-inspiring. But we worship God also because he has brought us into a relationship with himself; he has redeemed us through the precious blood of Jesus Christ and we are his people. The two concepts go together. If we knew God simply to be great, we could hold him in awe but not love him. If we love him because of the relationship we have with him but do not recognize his greatness and holy character, we would not honor him as we should.