Opening Scripture and Prayer

Father, Long Before Creation

Father, long before creation
Thou hadst chosen us in love,
And that love so deep, so moving,
Draws us close to Christ above.
Still it keeps us, still it keeps us.
Firmly fixed in Christ alone.

Though the world may change its fashion,
Yet our God is e'er the same;
His compassion and his covenant
Through all ages will remain.
God's own children, God's own children
Must forever praise his name.

God's compassion is my story,
Is my boasting all the day;
Mercy free and never failing
Moves my will, directs my way.
God so loved us, God so loved us
That his only Son he gave.

Loving Father now before thee
We will ever praise thy love,
And our songs will sound unceasing
'Til we reach our home above,
Giving glory, giving glory
To our God and to the Lamb;
Giving glory, giving glory
To our God and to the Lamb.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, forgive us our great pride. We confess we elevate our wisdom above yours, glory in our own accomplishments, find security in our possessions, and promote our own righteousness. Like the rich young ruler, we think we are good, but have actually broken all of your commandments. In your mercy, reveal to us our sin, that we might turn to you for healing. By your Spirit make our boast in Jesus Christ and his accomplishments, in his cross and resurrection alone. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Isaiah 44:22

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins;
and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains:
lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
and there have I, as vile as he, washed all my sins away:
washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
and there have I, as vile as he, washed all my sins away.

E'er since by faith I saw the stream your flowing wounds supply,
redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die:
and shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song I'll sing your pow'r to save,
when this poor lisping, stamm'ring tongue lies silent in the grave:
lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
when this poor lisping, stamm'ring tongue lies silent in the grave.

Dear dying Lamb, your precious blood shall never lose its pow'r,
till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more:
be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more.

Prayer

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14–30

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

Sermon: When Jesus Went to Church Dr. Liam Goligher

Lift High the Name of Jesus

Lift high the name of Jesus, of Jesus our King.
Make known the power of his grace, the beauty of his peace.
Remember how his mercy reached and we cried out to him.
He lifted us to solid ground, to freedom from our sin.

Oh sing my soul, and tell all he's done,
Till the earth and heavens are filled with his glory!

Lift high the name of Jesus, of Jesus our Lord.
His power in us is greater than, is greater than this world.
To share the reason for our hope, to serve with love and grace,
That all who see him shine through us might bring the Father praise. (refrain)

Lift high the name of Jesus, of Jesus our Light.
No other name on earth can save, can raise a soul to life.

He opens up our eyes to see the harvest he has grown.

We labor in his fields of grace as he leads sinners home. (refrain)

Benediction

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