Evening Worship Service

Prelude: In Dulci Jubilo, BWV 729 Johann Sebastian Bach

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 200: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Carol

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heav’n’s all-gracious King”;
the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come, with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heav’nly music floats o’er all the weary world:
above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hov’ring wing,
and ever o’er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hast’ning on, by prophet bards foretold,
when with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold;
when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing.

Prayer of Confession

Dear Lord God, we cannot count the sins that we have done and are still doing. We have forgotten most of them and no longer feel any guilt. Whatever is in us apart from your grace is sin and condemned. Thus, we must altogether despair of ourselves, our works, and our powers. We know not what else to do but to pray for your mercy. Our joy and comfort is that you grant the forgiveness of all our sins out of your pure grace, only through Christ our Lord. 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 15:1–20

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Hymn 225: Once in Royal David’s City Irby

Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall:
with the poor, and mean, and lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all his wondrous childhood he would honor and obey,
love and watch the lowly maiden in whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.

And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love;
for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heav’n above,
and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by,
we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high;
when like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 36

Question: What are the benefits which in this life to accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
Answer: The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

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: Good Christian Men, Rejoice Marcel Dupré

Sermon: Are You Still Without Understanding? Rev. Gavin Lymberopoulos

Hymn 208: O Come, All Ye Faithful Adeste Fideles

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold him born the King of angels;

Refrain
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Light;
lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
very God, begotten, not created; (Refrain)

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
glory to God in the highest; (Refrain)

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning:
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; (Refrain)

Benediction

Postlude

Serving this evening:
George McFarland platform
Aaron Patterson, organist

Sermon Notes