Evening Worship Service

Prelude: Impromptu Louis Vierne

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 1: All People That on Earth Do Dwell Old Hundredth

All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, come ye before him and rejoice.

The Lord ye know is God indeed; without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk, he doth us feed, and for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise, approach with joy his courts unto;
praise, laud, and bless his name always, for it is seemly so to do.

For why? The Lord our God is good, his mercy is forever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure.

Prayer of Confession

Heavenly Father, loving King, our thoughts and motives, our words and actions cannot be hidden from your sight. Our pride and self-pity, our cowardice and sloth, our anger and envy are laid bare before your eyes. We open ourselves to you and humbly ask for your forgiveness. Do not look upon our wrongdoing but cover us in the righteousness of Christ. Reassure us that his blood is our peace, his death is our freedom, and his Spirit is our power; and let our hearts know that in your service is perfect freedom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

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 12:22–37

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Hymn 251: Beneath the Cross of Jesus St. Christopher

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noon-tide heat and the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One who suffered there for me:
and from my stricken heart with tears two wonders I confess,
the wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss;
my sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 21

Question: Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
Answer: The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.

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

Sermon: Has the Kingdom Come? Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos

Hymn 598: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah Cwm Rhondda

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy pow’rful hand;
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more,
feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through;
strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer, be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s Destruction, land me safe on Canaan’s side;
songs of praises, songs of praises I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.

Benediction

Postlude: Christ, Comfort of All the World, BWV 670 Johann Sebastian Bach

Serving this evening:
George McFarland, platform
Aaron Patterson, organist