Evening Worship Service

Prelude, Deo Gratias (6:15pm)

Deo Gratias means “thanks be to God.” Psalm 100 exhorts us to “enter His gates with thanksgiving.” The music in this evening’s service is intended to give thanks to God for the hope of heaven. Scripture emphasizes that heaven is the place where God will forever be with his people; the essence of heaven is the presence of God himself. Revelation 21:1–3 states this clearly: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’” Question 38 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us of the tremendous blessing this will be for those who are in Christ: they shall be “made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.” Deo Gratias!

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Johann Sebastian Bach

Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, holy wisdom, love most bright; drawn by thee, our souls aspiring, soar to uncreated light. Word of God our flesh that fashioned, with the fire of life impassioned, striving still to truth unknown, soaring, dying round thy throne. Through the way where hope is guiding, hark, what peaceful music rings, where the flock in thee confiding, drink of joy from deathless springs. Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure, theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure. Thou dost ever lead thine own, in the love of joys unknown.

Give Us the Wings of Faith James Whitbourn

Give us the wings of faith to rise within the veil, and see the saints above, how great their joys, how bright their glories be. We ask them whence their victory came: they, with united breath, ascribe their conquest to the Lamb, their triumph to his death. They marked the footsteps that he trod, his zeal inspired breast, and, following their incarnate God, they reached the promised rest.

O What Their Joy and Glory Must Be William Harris

O what their joy and their glory must be, those endless Sabbaths the blessed ones see! Crown for the valiant; to weary ones rest; God shall be all, and in all ever blest. What are the Monarch, his court and his throne? What are the peace and the joy that they own? Tell us, ye blest ones, that in it have share, if what ye feel, ye can fully declare? Truly ‘Jerusalem’ name we that shore, “Vision of peace” that brings joy evermore! Wish and fulfilment can severed be ne’er, nor the thing prayed for come short of the prayer. We, where no trouble distraction can bring, safely the anthems of Sion shall sing; while for thy grace, Lord, their voices of praise thy blessed people shall evermore raise. There dawns no Sabbath, no Sabbath is o’er, those Sabbath keepers have one, and no more; one and unending is that triumph song which to the angels and us shall belong. Now in the meanwhile, with hearts raised on high, we for that country must yearn and must sigh, seeking Jerusalem, dear native land, through our long exile on Babylon’s strand. Low before him, low before him! Low before him with our praises we fall, of whom, and in whom, and through whom are all; of whom the Father, and through whom the Son; in whom the Spirit, with these ever One. Amen.

Tenth Church Choir

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 92: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Ein Feste Burg

Text: Martin Luther (1529)

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and pow’r are great; and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he,
Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same, and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever.

Prayer of Confession (based on a prayer by John Calvin)

Almighty God, we confess our lives abound in sinful desires and transgressions of your holy law. Our consciences testify we are guilty before you and worthy of your just judgment. Merciful Father, grant that we may so embrace your infinite mercy that we may not doubt your wrath will be turned from us, and yet not abuse this privilege by taking liberty to sin. Help us in true humility to daily flee to your mercy, that we may be sustained and kept in safety until that day when we come to that eternal inheritance that has been obtained for us by the blood of your only begotten Son. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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: Romans 3:21–26

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Hymn: Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace Land Of Rest Text: James Quinn, based on the Nunc Dimittis (b. 1919)

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 10

Question: How did God create man?
Answer: God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

Offering Prayer

(For online giving go to tenth.org/give or mail checks to: 1701 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103)

Offertory: How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place Johannes Brahms
Tenth Church Choir

How lovely is Thy dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts! For my soul, it longeth, yea, fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my soul and body crieth out, yea, for the living God. Blest are they that dwell within Thy house; they praise Thy name evermore!

Sermon: Freely By His Grace Dr. Todd Rester

Hymn 358: For All the Saints Sine Nomine

Text: William Walsham How (1864, 1875)

For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness dear, their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia!

O may thy soldiers faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia! Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way. Alleluia! Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Benediction

Postlude

Serving this evening:
Dr. Liam Goligher, platform
Aaron Patterson, organist