Prelude: Andante from Sonata in d minor, BWV 527 Johann Sebastian Bach

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 302: Come, Christians, Join to Sing Madrid

Come, Christians, join to sing Alleluia! Amen!
loud praise to Christ our King; Alleluia! Amen!
let all, with heart and voice, before his throne rejoice;
praise is his gracious choice. Alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia! Amen!
let praises fill the sky; Alleluia! Amen!
he is our Guide and Friend; to us he’ll condescend;
his love shall never end. Alleluia! Amen!

Praise yet our Christ again, Alleluia! Amen!
life shall not end the strain; Alleluia! Amen!
on heaven’s blissful shore, his goodness we’ll adore,
singing forevermore, “Alleluia! Amen!”

Prayer of Confession

Our gracious Father, you sent your Son to die and rise to new life in order that death might be destroyed and that we might live a new life. Yet we have often chosen our own way rather than your way. We have rebelled against you in thought, word and deed. In doing so, we have grieved you, hurt others, and damaged ourselves. Forgive our sin for Jesus’ sake, and grant that we may walk in the ways of love and holiness to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 4:9

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

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 11:25–12:21

25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” 9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. 15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Sermon: Lord of the Sabbath Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos

Hymn 508: Jesus, Lover of My Soul Aberystwyth

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high:
hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me!
All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want; more than all in thee I find:
raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name; I am all unrighteousness;
false and full of sin I am, thou art full of truth and grace. (Continued on next page)

Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within:
thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

Offering Prayer

(In person offerings may be made via the oak boxes. Give online at tenth.org/give or mail checks to: 1701 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103)

Offertory: Improvisation Aaron Patterson

Question of Preparation: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 20

Question: Did God leave mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
Answer: God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Words of Institution

Partaking of the Elements

Proclamation of the Mystery of our Faith: Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again!

Hymn 384: Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing Sicilian Mariners

Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace;
let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace:
O refresh us, O refresh us, trav’ling through this wilderness.

Thanks we give and adoration for your gospel’s joyful sound:
may the fruits of your salvation in our hearts and lives abound:
ever faithful, ever faithful, to the truth may we be found.

So that when your love shall call us, Savior, from the world away,
let no fear of death appall us, glad thy summons to obey:
may we ever, may we ever reign with you in endless day.

Benediction

Postlude: Final from 12 Pieces Gaston Litaize

Serving this evening:
Rev. Carroll Wynne, platform
Aaron Patterson, organist

Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible, copyright©2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. CCLI# 2486853