Soli Deo Gloria

Prelude from Suite no. 2 in d minor, BWV 1008 Johann Sebastian Bach

Haley Rasmussen, cello

Jesus Paid It All/O Sacred Now Wounded arr. Brant Adams

Haley Rasmussen, cello; Aaron Patterson, piano

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn: For Your Gift of God the Spirit Ode To Joy

For your gift of God the Spirit, pow’r to make our lives anew,
pledge of life and hope of glory, Savior, we would worship you.
Crowning gift of resurrection sent from your ascended throne,
fullness of the very Godhead, come to make your life our own.

He, who in creation’s dawning brooded on the lifeless deep,
still across our nature’s darkness moves to wake our souls from sleep,
moves to stir, to draw, to quicken, thrusts us through with sense of sin;
brings to birth and seals and fills us—saving Advocate within.

He, himself the living Author, wakes to life the sacred Word,
reads with us its holy pages and reveals our risen Lord.
He it is who works within us, teaching rebel hearts to pray,
he whose holy intercessions rise for us both night and day.

He, the mighty God, in-dwells us; his to strengthen, help, empow’r;
his to overcome the tempter, ours to call in danger’s hour.
In his strength we dare to battle all the raging hosts of sin,
and by him alone we conquer foes without and foes within.

Father, grant your Holy Spirit in our hearts may rule today,
grieved not, quenched not, but unhindered, work in us his sovereign way.
Fill us with your holy fullness, God the Father, Spirit, Son;
in us, through us, then, forever, shall your perfect will be done.

Prayer of Confession

O God our Father, we come today to worship you, awed by your majesty, greatness, and glory, and encouraged by your love. Yet there is a coldness in our hearts, a hardness toward you, an unwillingness to admit our sin and need for you. Forgive us for all our sins, for Jesus’ sake. Come near and strengthen us by the work of your Holy Spirit until Christ reigns supreme within us, in every thought, word and deed. Give us a faith that overcomes the world, works by love, and fastens us to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Titus 3:4–7

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

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: Romans 8:16–28

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Hymn: Come, O Come, Thou Quickening Spirit Irby

Come, O come, thou quick’ning Spirit, God from all eternity!
May thy power never fail us; swell within us constantly.
Then shall truth and life and light banish all the gloom of night.

Grant our hearts in fullest measure wisdom, counsel, purity,
that we ever may be seeking only that which pleaseth thee.
Let thy knowledge spread and grow, working error’s overthrow.

Show us, Lord, the path of blessing; when we trespass on our way,
cast, O Lord, our sins behind thee and be with us day by day.
Should we stray, O Lord, recall; work repentance when we fall.

Holy Spirit, strong and mighty, thou who makest all things new,
make thy work within us perfect and the evil foe subdue.
Grant us weapons for the strife and with vict’ry crown our life.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 7

Question: What are the decrees of God?
Answer: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath forordained whatsoever comes to pass.

Offering Prayer

Offertory: O Christ, Our Hope Alone, BWV 673 Johann Sebastian Bach

Aaron Patterson, organ

Sermon: G.P.S. Required? Colin Howland

Hymn: Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken Hyfrydol

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow thee;
destitute, despised, forsaken, thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known;
yet how rich is my condition, God and heav’n are still my own.

Man may trouble and distress me, ‘twill but drive me to thy breast;
life with trials hard may press me, heav’n will bring me sweeter rest.
O ‘tis not in grief to harm me while thy love is left to me;
O ‘twere not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with thee.

Take, my soul, thy full salvation, rise o’er sin and fear and care;
joy to find in ev’ry station something still to do or bear;
think what Spirit dwells within thee, what a Father’s smile is thine,
what a Savior died to win thee: child of heav’n, shouldst thou repine?

Hasten on from grace to glory, armed by faith and winged by prayer;
heav’n’s eternal day’s before thee, God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
hope shall change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Benediction

Postlude: All Glory Be to God on High, BWV 675 Johann Sebastian Bach

Aaron Patterson, organ

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