Afternoon Worship Service

Welcome and Preparation for Worship

Prelude: Aria from Goldberg Variations Johann Sebastian Bach Bob Yang, piano

Call to Worship: Psalm 47:1–4

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

Doxology Lasst Uns Erfreuen

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; alleluia, alleluia!
Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Invocation

Hymn 6: O Come, My Soul, Bless Thou the Lord Tidings

O come, my soul, bless thou the Lord thy Maker,
and all within me bless his holy name;
bless thou the Lord, forget not all his mercies,
his pard'ning grace and saving love proclaim.

Refrain
Bless him forever, wondrous in might, bless him, his servants that in his will delight.

Good is the Lord and full of kind compassion,
most slow to anger, plenteous in love;
rich is his grace to all that humbly seek him,
boundless and endless as the heav'ns above. (Refrain)

His love is like a father's to his children,
tender and kind to all who fear his name;
for well he knows our weakness and our frailty,
he knows that we are dust, he knows our frame. (Refrain)

We fade and die like flow'rs that grow in beauty,
like tender grass that soon will disappear;
but evermore the love of God is changeless,
still shown to those who look to him in fear. (Refrain)

High in the heav'ns his throne is fixed forever,
his kingdom rules o'er all from pole to pole;
bless ye the Lord through all his wide dominion,
bless his most holy name, O thou my soul. (Refrain)

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Scripture Reading: John 3:22–35

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

Announcements

Multilingual Prayer

Hymn: O Church, Arise Keith Getty/Stuart Townend

O church, arise, and put your armor on, hear the call of Christ our Captain;
for now the weak can say that they are strong in the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth we’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
an army bold, whose battle cry is Love, reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war: to love the captive soul, but to rage against the captor;
and with the sword that makes the wounded whole, we will fight with faith and valor.
When faced with trials on every side we know the outcome is secure,
and Christ will have the prize for which he died: an inheritance of nations.

Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet, as the Son of God is stricken,
then see his foes lie crushed beneath his feet, for the Conqueror has risen;
and as the stone is rolled away and Christ emerges from the grave,
this victory march continues till the day every eye and heart shall see him. (continued on next page)

So Spirit come, put strength in every stride, give grace for every hurdle,
that we may run with faith to win the prize of a servant good and faithful;
as saints of old still line the way, retelling triumphs of his grace,
we hear their calls, and hunger for the day when with Christ we stand in glory.

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: O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus arr. Larry Shackley

Bob Yang, piano

Sermon Passage: Ephesians 1:7–14

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Sermon: Spiritual Blessings Dr. Enrique Leal

Hymn 478: I Love to Tell the Story I Love To Tell the Story

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true;
it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Refrain
I love to tell the story, 'twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
and that is just the reason I tell it now to thee. (Refrain)

I love to tell the story; 'tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
the message of salvation from God's own holy Word. (Refrain)

I love to tell the story; for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting to hear it, like the rest,
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story, that I have loved so long. (Refrain)

Benediction

Postlude: Sonata No. 1: Presto Johann Sebastian Bach Tom Jackson, violin

Sermon Notes