Evening Worship Service

Prelude: Cantabile César Franck

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 15: Stand Up and Bless the Lord Carlisle

Stand up and bless the Lord, you people of his choice;
stand up and bless the Lord your God with heart and soul and voice.

Though high above all praise, above all blessing high,
who would not fear God’s holy name, and laud and magnify?

O for the living flame from his own altar brought,
to touch our lips, our minds inspire, and wing to heav’n our thought!

God is our strength and song, and his salvation ours;
then be his love in Christ proclaimed with all our ransomed pow’rs.

Stand up and bless the Lord, the Lord your God adore;
stand up and bless his glorious name henceforth forevermore.

Prayer of Confession

O God, we praise you that your promises never fail, that your faithfulness endures to all generations. Lord, we lament that we are so easily swayed by the temptations of this world, by the desires of our own flesh, by the vain wanderings of our minds. Forgive us when we do not seek first your kingdom and your righteousness, for seeking to build our own dynasties, for the ways our selfish ambitions hurt the lives of others. Father, have mercy upon us, for the sake of our Savior Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for sinners like us. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Romans 8:1–2

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

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 13:1–23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Hymn 448: We Have Heard the Joyful Sound Jesus Saves

We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to ev’ry land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves,
onward! ‘tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Waft it on the rolling tide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Tell to sinners far and wide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing, ye islands of the sea; echo back, ye ocean caves;
earth shall keep her jubilee: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing above the battle strife, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By his death and endless life, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing it softly through the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves;
sing in triumph o’er the tomb—Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Give the winds a mighty voice, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice—Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free, highest hills and deepest caves;
this our song of victory—Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 23

Question: What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?
Answer: Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

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: Redemptive History, Election, and Response to the Word Dr. Benjamin Dally

Hymn 369: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns Truro

Shout, for the blessed Jesus reigns; through distant lands his triumphs spread;
and sinners, freed from endless pains, own him their Savior and their Head.

He calls his chosen from afar, they all at Zion’s gates arrive;
those who were dead in sin before by sovereign grace are made alive.

Gentiles and Jews his laws obey; nations remote their off’rings bring,
and unconstrained their homage pay to their exalted God and King.

O may his holy church increase, his Word and Spirit still prevail,
while angels celebrate his praise, and saints his growing glories hail.

Loud hallelujahs to the Lamb, from all below, and all above!
In lofty songs exalt his name, in songs as lasting as his love.

Benediction

Postlude: Alone to God in the Highest Be Glory Johann Sebastian Bach

Serving this evening:
Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos, platform
Aaron Patterson, organist