Soli Deo Gloria Suzannah Waddington, soprano

Come, Thou Fount arr. Danielle Isaacson

The Lord Is My Shepherd Linda Hartman

Praise the Redeemer’s Goodness from Christ on the Mount of Olives Ludwig van Beethoven

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 55: To God Be the Glory To God Be The Glory

To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that we may go in.

(Refrain)
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro’ Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he has done!

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood!
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus forgiveness receives. (Refrain)

Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer and higher and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. (Refrain)

Prayer of Confession

Righteous God, to whom angels cry “holy, holy, holy,” we bow before you with an acute sense of our unworthiness. We are ashamed of the ways we dishonor you in our sin. We confess we have loved darkness rather than the light. We cling to old habits, sometimes bending your laws to suit ourselves. Our tongues are a restless evil, fueling discord both inside and outside your Church. Merciful Father, please forgive us and cleanse us from our sin. Conform us to Christ by the working of your Holy Spirit, for your honor and glory alone. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Proverbs 28:13

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Doxology Tallis’ Canon

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:1–18

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Hymn 86: The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want Brother James’ Air

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want; he makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me the quiet waters by.
He leadeth me, he leadeth me the quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again; and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness, e’en for his own name’s sake;
within the paths of righteousness, e’en for his own name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale, yet will I fear none ill,
for thou art with me; and thy rod and staff me comfort still;
for thou art with me, and thy rod and staff me comfort still.

My table thou hast furnished in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint, and my cup overflows;
my head thou dost with oil anoint, and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me:
and in God’s house forevermore my dwelling place shall be;
and in God’s house forever my dwelling place shall be.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 5

Question: Are there more Gods than one?
Answer: There is but One only, the living and true God.

Offering Prayer

Offertory: Lord, God the Father Forever, BWV 672 Johann Sebastian Bach

Aaron Patterson, organ

Sermon: Beware of Pretentious Prayers Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos

Hymn 575: Soldiers of Christ, Arise Diademata

Soldiers of Christ, arise, and put your armor on,
strong in the strength which God supplies through his eternal Son.
Strong in the Lord of Hosts, and in his mighty pow’r,
who in the strength of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror.

Stand then in his great might, with all his strength endued;
but take, to arm you for the fight, the panoply of God.
Leave no unguarded place, no weakness of the soul;
take ev’ry virtue, ev’ry grace, and fortify the whole.

To keep your armor bright, attend with constant care;
still walking in your Captain’s sight, and watching unto prayer.
From strength to strength go on; wrestle and fight and pray;
tread all the pow’rs of darkness down, and win the well-fought day.

Benediction

Postlude: Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee, BWV 687 Johann Sebastian Bach

Aaron Patterson, organ

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.

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