The Order for the Worship of God The Lord s Day December 2, 2018 The First Sunday in Advent 10:15 a.m.

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1 The Order for the Worship of God The Lord s Day December 2, 2018 The First Sunday in Advent 10:15 a.m. Welcome to St. Petersburg Presbyterian Church If you are with us for the first time, we are glad you are here! Please complete the guest card found in the pew rack, and place it in the offering basket at the conclusion of the service. Join us for refreshments and conversation afterwards in the fellowship hall. We look forward to meeting you. Advent Reflection The great proclamation The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14) assures us that God has entered into human history through the incarnation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God s actions past, present, and future. In Advent we hear the prophecies of the Messiah s coming as addressed to us people who wait for His second coming. In Advent we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, when sin and death will be swallowed up in the victory of Jesus death and resurrection. In this way Advent highlights for us the larger story of God s redemptive plan in Christ. The Worship Sourcebook WE ENTER GOD S PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE The Welcome and Announcements Pastor David Harding The Call to Worship God from Psalm 118; Isaiah 9; Psalm 95 Phil Boddie, elder Leader: This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Come and worship! Worship Christ the coming King! All: His Name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Leader: We rejoice in the certain hope that as Jesus has come in his first advent, so he will come again in power and glory to make all things new. All: Oh Come, let us worship and bow down; let us adore the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and King! 1

2 O Come All Ye Faithful John F. Wade, 1743 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the King of angels! O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation! O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God, all glory in the highest ; O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger, We would embrace Thee, with love and awe; Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly? O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! O come, let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! The Prayer of Adoration and Invocation 2

3 WE CONFESS TOGETHER WHAT WE BELIEVE from John 1 and Philippians 2 Leader: Christians, what do you believe about Jesus Christ? All: We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God; Creator of all things visible and invisible; equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit in power and glory; worthy of all worship and obedience. Though he is God, he did not count equality with God something to hold on to, but made himself nothing, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary. He humbled himself by being born in the likeness of humanity, without sin, and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Behold Our God Sovereign Grace Music, 2010 Who has held the oceans in His hands? Who has numbered every grain of sand? Kings and nations tremble at His voice All creation rises to rejoice Chorus Behold our God seated on His throne Come, let us adore Him Behold our King nothing can compare Come, let us adore Him Who has given counsel to the Lord? Who can question any of His words? Who can teach the One who knows all things? Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds? (Chorus) Who has felt the nails upon His hands? Bearing all the guilt of sinful man God eternal, humbled to the grave Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign (Chorus) 3

4 WE REPENT OF OUR SINS AND RECEIVE GOD S MERCY The Call to Confession Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus The Public Confession of Sin Lord Jesus, when you came to seek and save us, you humbled yourself as a servant. Even though you are God, and possess all the riches of the universe, you gave up everything, so that through the poverty of your suffering and death we might have the wealth of your righteousness. We confess how unlike you we are in our attitudes and behavior. Rather than looking out for the needs and interests of others, we are far more concerned for our own comfort, security and prominence. Forgive us our many sins and renew our hearts by your transforming grace. Make us realize in this Advent season, and always, that true greatness is gained by humbling ourselves and serving others in the power of the gospel. Please work in us by your Spirit, so that we become more like you and bring glory to your name. Amen. Silent Prayers of Confession The Promise of God s Forgiveness in the Gospel of His Son 1 Peter 1:18-19 You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 4

5 Lamb of God Twila Paris Your only Son, no sin to hide, but You have sent Him from Your side To walk upon this guilty sod, and to become the Lamb of God. Your gift of love they crucified, they laughed and scorned Him as He died; The humble King they named a fraud, and sacrificed the Lamb of God. (Chorus) O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God; I love the holy Lamb of God. O wash me in His precious blood. My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. I was so lost I should have died, but You have brought me to Your side To be led by Your staff and rod, and to be called a lamb of God. (Chorus) Parents with children up to age 4 are welcome to take them to the nursery for the remainder of the service. 5

6 WE HEAR GOD SPEAK IN HIS WORD The Sermon Why Is There Christmas? Because Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost Luke 19:1-10 (pg. 878 in the pew Bible) Dr. David Harding He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. 9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Pastor: All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like the flowers of the field. All: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:6, 8) The Big Idea: The story of Jesus encounter with Zacchaeus is one of the most memorable accounts in the Gospels. One of the reasons for this is because it explains and vividly illustrates why there is Christmas. It s because Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost. He did this intentionally, personally and effectually, at the ultimate cost of His own life. To the degree we grasp this reality for ourselves, to that degree there will be profound changes in our lives and Christmas will take on its true significance. 6

7 I. Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost Intentionally (vv1-5) II. Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost Personally (v5) III. Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost Effectually (vv6-9) Questions for personal reflection and family/community group discussion: 1. How did God minister to you during the worship service? What was one take-away He gave you from the sermon? 2. Why does Luke make a point of telling us Zacchaeus was a tax collector and very rich? What does this contribute to the point of the story? What does this tell us about the depth of God s love for sinners? 3. What does Zacchaeus eagerness to see Jesus tell us about his satisfaction with the condition of his life? 4. How did Jesus know Zacchaeus name and where he was? What significance does this have for your life? 5. What were some of the effects in Zacchaeus life of Jesus bringing salvation to him? Do you see any of these changes in your life? Are there areas of your life where Jesus is calling you to repent and trust him more deeply? Will you obey him joyfully? 6. How might this Christmas season be more meaningful to you as a result of knowing that Jesus has come to seek you and save you personally, intentionally and effectually, and that he is coming again? 7. How would you explain the reason for Christmas to a child or an unbelieving friend/family member? 7

8 The Prayers of God s People WE FEAST ON JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH AT HIS TABLE OF GRACE At the sacrament of Christ s atoning sacrifice, the Lord calls us to his table to receive the signs and seals of the New Covenant, confirming his finished work on the cross, and assuring us in our faith. The Supper portrays our receiving life from Christ as we feed on him. Jesus used the figure of feeding on him in his claim to be the bread of life, given from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever (John 6:51). Partaking of Christ by faith in the Lord s Supper is eating the True Bread from heaven given for the life of the world. We feed on Christ, draw life from him, and this vital connection appears in the eating and drinking of the Lord s Supper. The sacrament brings both assurance of the saving power of his death and joy in the renewal of his life. Dr. Edmund Clowney, The Church The Words of Institution The Giving and Receiving of the Bread and Cup The Prayer of Thanksgiving Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us. We praise you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, we praise and thank you for the great salvation you have planned and purchased for us in your Son, Jesus Christ. Please give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen. 8

9 WE RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WITH SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY Worshiping God through Our Financial Giving We respond to God s lavish grace in Jesus Christ by giving our money joyfully and sacrificially for the spread of the gospel in our city and around the world. Joy to the World Isaac Watts, 1719 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat, the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, far as, far as, the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders, of His love. WE ARE SENT INTO THE WORLD TO MAKE DISCIPLES The Benediction Numbers 6:24-26 The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. The Dismissal Having been strengthened and renewed by the mercies of God in the gospel, let us go from here to share the love of Christ with a lost and needy world. All: Thanks be to God. Please remain for refreshments and conversation in the fellowship hall. All music used by permission through Christian Copyright Licensing International, #

10 ANNOUNCEMENTS Missionary Prayer Focus of the Month We are praying this month for Esaie and Natacha Etienne, our MTW missionaries in Gonaives, Haiti. Esaie pastors the Trinity Presbyterian Church, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in October, and helps lead the Christian Academy of Dociné, a school for students from preschool to 11th grade. Pray for these ministries and the church planting efforts of the Presbytery in Haiti, that the gospel would run with great power there amid much poverty and suffering. Contact Esaie and Natacha at: esaieeteienne26@gmail.com. Progressive Christmas Dinner, Sunday, December 16 Mark your calendars for Sunday evening, December 16, for our annual Progressive Christmas dinner. We will be having Dinners for 8 at various homes, and then meeting together for dessert and Christmas carols at Terry and Lynn Tanner s. If you re able to host one of the dinner groups, please contact Lynn Harding at lynnharding@tampabay.rr.com. Use the sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. Christmas Eve 5:30 Our Christmas Eve service will be on Monday, December 24, at 5:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to bring an unbelieving friend and share with them the meaning and hope of Christmas. Christmas Eve Fellowship at the Harding s Please join us after the Christmas Eve service for a bowl of Sante Fe Soup and good fellowship at the Harding s, 1541 Eden Isle Blvd. NE. Change of Location this Week for Men s Bible Study Due to the church parking lot being repaved, the Men s Friday Morning Bible Study will meet at 7:00 a.m. at Kyle Krueger s house, th Ave. NE. 10

11 THIS WEEK AT SPPC Sunday (December 2) 8:30 a.m. Congregational Prayer meets in adult classroom off fellowship hall 9:00 a.m. Sunday school classes for children, youth and adults 10:15 a.m. Corporate Worship 11:30 a.m. Refreshments in the fellowship hall 6:00 p.m. Jones Community Group (727) Monday The parking lots are being repaved and restriped all week. If you need to come to the church, please use the Rio Vista Park parking lot and walk through the front lawn of the church to get to the fellowship hall door. 7:00 p.m. Massey Community Group (727) Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Harding Community Group (727) :00 p.m. Burkham Community Group (727) Friday 7:00 a.m. Men s Bible Study meets this week at Kyle Krueger s, th Ave. NE. Year-to-Date Financial Information through November 30, 2018 Income Expenses 2018 Budget Faith Promise Missions (from April 1, 2018) $208,306 $233,931 $243,275 $17,685 One Year Community Bible Reading Calendar Monday, Dec 3 Hosea 9-11 Revelation 3 Tuesday, Dec 4 Hosea Revelation 4 Wednesday, Dec 5 Joel 1-3 Revelation 5 Thursday, Dec 6 Amos 1-3 Revelation 6 Friday, Dec 7 Amos 4-6 Revelation 7 Saturday, Dec 8 Psalm

12 Contact Information MINISTRY LEADERSHIP Elders (The Session) Phil Boddie Steve Curtiss David Harding Deacons (The Diaconate) Bob Burkham Mike Eldridge Chad Martin Dave Shadle Administrative Assistant Michele Hurm Children and Youth Derik Jenkins Christian Education Steve Curtiss Community Groups David Massey Facilities Bob Burkham Mike Eldridge Homeless Outreach Kyle Krueger Hospitality Barbara Burkham Men s Ministry David Harding Mercy Ministry Bob Burkham Dave Shadle Missions Phil and Carolyn Boddie Sunday Operations Chad Martin Ushers/Greeters Mike Eldridge Women s Ministry Cheryl Massey SUPPORTED MISSIONARIES & AGENCIES Esaie and Natacha Etienne Mission to the World Port-au-Prince, Haiti Susan Newkirk Mission to the World Cape Town, S. Africa David and Erin Pervis Mission to the World Kiev, Ukraine Bill and Pam Schweitzer Mission to the World Gateshead, England Marcelo and Claudia Carvalho WEC Brazil Amazon, Brazil Andrew and Meghan Newman Reformed University Fellowship USF, Tampa Lindsey Harding Reformed University Fellowship Auburn University K-Life St. Petersburg New Hearts Outreach Tampa New Life Solutions (Pregnancy Center) St. Petersburg 12