November 3, 2013: Trumpeting the Gospel of the Reformation

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Entering Into Worship

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artwork by Ariel Crisostomo (Click image to enlarge)

* Responsive Call to Worship: Psalm 46:1, 7, 9, 10; 34:3

Minister: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Congregation: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Minister: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Congregation: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Minister: Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

* Invocation: Psalm 124:8

* Salutation: 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Peter 1:2
Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ in the power and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

* Opening Prayer

* Song of Praise: God is Our Refuge and Our Strength (Psa 46) #85:1-3

Confession of Sin

Reading of the Law: 1 Timothy 1:3-11

General Confession

Our Father, we are sinful and you are holy. We recognize that we have heard in your Law difficult words, knowing how often we have offended you in thought, word and deed, not only by obvious violations, but by failing to conform to its perfect commands, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.

There is nothing in us that gives us reason for hope, for where we thought we were well, we are sick in soul. Where we thought we were holy, we are in truth unholy and ungrateful. Our hearts are filled with the love of the world; our minds are dark and are assailed by doubts; our wills are too often given to selfishness and our bodies to laziness and unrighteousness. By sinning against our neighbors, we have also sinned against you, in whose image they were created. In this time of silent confession we bring you our particular sins. [Silent Confession]

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 3:23-26

Response of Gratitude

Song of Thanksgiving: From the Depths Do I Invoke Thee (Psa 130) #274:1, 2

Confessing Our Faith: The “Five Solas” of the Reformation

Scripture Alone

Minister: We know God by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes like a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to see clearly the invisible things of God, even his everlasting power and divinity, as the apostle Paul says. All which things are sufficient to convince men and leave them without excuse. Second, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory and our salvation. (Belgic Confession Art. 2)

Congregation: We receive all these books and these only as holy and canonical, for the regulation, foundation, and confirmation of our faith. (BC 5)

Minister: Let us thank God for His holy Word.

Congregation: We thank you, God, for your Word. We thank you for the special care this shows you have for us and for our salvation. (BC 3)

Grace Alone

Minister: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

Congregation: Without any merit of mine, out of mere grace God grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ. (Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 60)

Minister: Let us thank God for His grace.

Congregation: We thank you, God, for your grace. We thank you that you do not treat us as our sins deserve, that you do not repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10)

Faith Alone

Minister: What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Congregation: Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel. (Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 86)

Minister: Let us thank God for the gift of faith.

Congregation: We thank you, God, for the gift of faith. We thank you that the Holy Spirit has kindled in our hearts that faith which embraces Jesus Christ, with all His merits, makes Him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from Him. (BC 22)

Christ Alone

Minister: The angel said to Joseph, “you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Congregation: Jesus saves us from all our sins. Salvation cannot be found in anyone else; it is futile to look for any salvation elsewhere. (HC Q&A 29)

Minister: Let us thank God for Jesus, His inexpressible gift! (2Corinthians 9:15)

Congregation: We thank you, God, for Jesus. We thank you that we have in Jesus all that we need for our salvation. (HC Q&A 30)

To God Alone Be The Glory

Minister: What is the chief end of man?

Congregation: To glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. (WSC Q&A 1)

Minister: Let us, then, glorify God. Let us glorify God for Scripture, for grace, for faith, and for Jesus.

* Gloria Patri: Ephesians 3:21
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen!

Offerings: Psalm 50:14

Service of the Word

* Old Testament Lessons: Ezekiel 33:1-9 (text); Leviticus 23:23-25
* Prayer for Illumination

* New Testament Lessons: Romans 10:8-17
* Prayer for Illumination

* Song of Preparation: Thy Wondrous Testimonies, LORD (Psa 119:129-136) #252:1-4

Sermon: Trumpeting the Gospel of the Reformation

1. The Trumpet Duty of the Watchman

2. The Response of the People to the Watchman’s Trumpet

Service of the Lord’s Supper

The Preparation

The Consecration

Sursum Corda
Minister: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord!

The Communion

Thanksgiving Prayer (with Congregational Prayer)

Leaving to Serve

* Song of Consecration: O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts #422:1-3, 5

* Doxology: Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow #493

* Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14

* Amen! Three-Fold Amen

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