Prelude: Hymn Sing (6:15pm)

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 300: Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power O Quanta Qualia

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God, we confess our lives abound in sinful desires and transgressions of your holy law. Our consciences testify we are guilty before you and worthy of your just judgment. Merciful Father, grant that we may so embrace your infinite mercy that we may not doubt your wrath will be turned from us, and yet not abuse this privilege by taking liberty to sin. Help us in true humility to daily flee to your mercy, that we may be sustained and kept in safety until that day when we come to that eternal inheritance that has been obtained for us by the blood of your only begotten Son. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Romans 5:6–9

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Doxology 732 Tallis' Canon

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.

Prayer of Illumination

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 55 (pew Bible p. 615)

Hymn 519: Fountain of Never-Ceasing Grace St. Matthew

Confession of Faith: Westminster Larger Catechism Question 72

Question: What is justifying faith?
Answer: Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner, by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

Offering Prayer

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Offertory: Lobe den Herren Johann Walther

New Testament Reading: Romans 1:1–17 (pew Bible p. 939)

Sermon: Clear and Confident in the Gospel Dr. Stafford Carson

Hymn 172: Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder All Saints Old

Benediction

Postlude: Ein Feste Burg Michael Praetorius

Serving this evening:

Platform: George McFarland
Organist: Rev. Colin Howland

Rev. Dr. Stafford Carson is President's Professor and the Barker Chair of Evangelism and Missions at Westminster Theological Seminary. He is a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Principal-Emeritus of Union Theological College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is married to Patricia and has three grown-up children and two grandchildren.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible, copyright©2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hymns used by permission: CCLI# 2486853