Evening Worship Service

Prelude: More Love To Thee arr. Frederick Swann

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 179: Hallelujah! Thine the Glory Thine The Glory

We praise thee, O God! for the days of our youth,
for the bright lamp that shineth — the Word of thy truth.

Refrain
Hallelujah! thine the glory, hallelujah! we sing;
hallelujah! thine the glory, our praise now we bring.

We praise thee, O God! for the Son of thy love,
for Jesus who died and is now gone above. (Refrain)

We praise thee, O God! for thy Spirit of light,
who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night. (Refrain)

All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain,
who has borne all our sins and has cleansed ev’ry stain! (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: Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 12:38–50

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Hymn 141: God, in the Gospel of His Son Germany

God, in the gospel of his Son, makes his eternal counsels known;
where love in all its glory shines,and truth is drawn in fairest lines.

Here sinners of a humble frame may taste his grace, and learn his name;
may read, in characters of blood, the wisdom, pow’r, and grace of God.

The pris’ner here may break his chains; the weary rest from all his pains;
the captive feel his bondage cease; the mourner find the way of peace.

Here faith reveals to mortal eyes a brighter world beyond the skies;
here shines the light which guides our way from earth to realms of endless day.

O grant us grace, almighty Lord, to read and mark your holy Word;
its truths with meekness to receive, and by its holy precepts live.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 22

Question: How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
Answer: Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

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: If Ye Love Me Thomas Tallis

Chamber Choir

Sermon: Something Greater Is Here Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos

Hymn 181: We Come, O Christ, to You Darwall

We come, O Christ, to you, true Son of God and man,
by whom all things consist, in whom all life began:
in you alone we live and move, and have our being in your love.

You are the Way to God, your blood our ransom paid;
in you we face our Judge and Maker unafraid.
Before the throne absolved we stand, your love has met your law’s demand.

You are the living Truth! All wisdom dwells in you,
the Source of every skill, the one eternal TRUE!
O great I AM! In you we rest, sure answer to our every quest.

You only are true Life, to know you is to live
the more abundant life that earth can never give:
O risen Lord! We live in you: in us each day your life renew!

We worship you, Lord Christ, our Savior and our King,
to you our youth and strength adoringly we bring:
so fill our hearts, that all may view your life in us, and turn to you!

Benediction

Postlude

Serving this evening:
Rev. John Park, platform
Colin Howland, organist