November 29, 2020

*Call to Worship |Romans 13:11-12| Rev. Blake Arnoult

^{God invites and calls us into His presence to worship Him.}

You know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

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*Prayer of Adoration | Psalm 43:3-5

^{We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.} 

Send out your light and your truth; 

let them lead me; 

let them bring me to your holy hill 

and to your dwelling! 

Then I will go to the altar of God, 

to God my exceeding joy, 

and I will praise you with the lyre, 

O God, my God. 

Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation and my God. Amen.

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*Confession of Faith | Westminster Larger Catechism

^{With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.}

Leader: Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?

People: The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord

Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, of one

substance and equal with the Father, in the fullness of time

became man, and so was and continues to be God and

man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, forever.

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*Song of Confession | How Deep The Father’s Love

^{Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are prayers that we sing together. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.}

How deep the Father’s love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give his only son

And make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross 

My sin upon His shoulder

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

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I will not boast in anything 

No gifts no power no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I from His reward 

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

_{Music and Lyrics: Stuart Townend}

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Prayer of Thanksgiving

^{We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.}

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Lament | Kyrie Eleison 

^{A lament is our expression of grief and frustration at the brokenness of the world. This is an act of faith as we turn to God as our only source of hope and comfort.}

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

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Confession of Sin

^{We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.}

O eternal God and merciful Father, we humble ourselves before your great majesty, against which we have frequently and grievously sinned. We confess that we deserve nothing less than eternal death, that we are unclean before you and children of wrath. We continually transgress your commandments, failing to do what you have commanded, and doing that which you have expressly forbidden. We confess our waywardness, and are heartily sorry for all our sins. O Lord God and gracious Father, we know that your mercy toward those who turn to you is infinite; and so we take courage to call upon you, trusting in our Mediator Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Forgive all our sins for Christ’s sake. Deliver our understanding from all blindness, and our hearts from all willfulness and rebellion, we pray through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

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Assurance of Pardon | 1 Timothy 2:5-6

^{The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.}

5 There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all.

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Prayer for Christ’s Church

^{We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.}

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*Reading of Scripture | John 1:1-18 | Blake Arnoult

^{God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.}

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

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9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

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14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

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Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

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The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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“Jesus, The New Moses" 

The Gospel As The New Exodus

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Pastoral Prayer

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Sacrament of Communion

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.

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You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table. 

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution

Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith: 

People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah! 

Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah! 

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. 

Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.

Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is grape juice.

A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

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Communion Song | Worthy Is The Lamb

^{We celebrate our communion in faith and song.}

Thank you for the cross Lord

Thank you for the price You paid

Bearing all my sin and shame

In love You came

And gave amazing grace

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Thank you for this love Lord

Thank you for the nail pierced hands

Washed me in Your cleansing flow

Now all I know

Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Crown You now with many crowns

You reign victorious

High and lifted up

Jesus Son of God

The Darling of Heaven crucified

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

_{Lyrics and Music: Darlene Joyce Zschech}

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*Departing Song | O Come O Come Emmanuel

^{We begin to end in faith and song.}

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

‍Chorus

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O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

‍Chorus

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O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

‍/ Chorus /

_{Music and Lyrics: John Mason Neale, Thomas Helmore}

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*Benediction | Philippians 4:19-20 | Blake Arnoult

^{God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.}

19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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