The Order for the Worship of God The Lord s Day September 9, :15 a.m.

Transcription

1 The Order for the Worship of God The Lord s Day September 9, :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. If you have questions about Christianity or the ministries of this church, please speak with one of our members, an elder or the pastor after the service. It would be a privilege to talk with you. Reflection The Law of God is good, but we are not. The Law commands, but cannot give. It tells us what must be done, but helping us get it done is simply not in the Law s job description. It condemns us for violation, but cannot exercise clemency for violators. But once the Law s legitimate claim against us is satisfied, the gospel and the Law conspire together to give us both grace and direction for our Christian life, in relation to God and our neighbors. God has done in Christ what the Law could not do in us. In Christ, God not only finds the perfect substitute for our sins but the fulfiller of all righteousness on our behalf. In Christ, we are not only forgiven, but are accounted as those who have perfectly fulfilled God s moral will in thought, word, and deed. Dr. Michael Horton, Law and Gospel WE ENTER GOD S PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE The Welcome and Announcements David Harding, Pastor The Passing of the Peace Having been reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we welcome one another with His peace. The Call to Worship God from Psalm 111 Leader: Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. All: Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. Leader: The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. All: He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever holy and awesome is his name. To him belongs eternal praise! 1

2 Holy, Holy, Holy Reginald Heber Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be. Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see; Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea. Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity The Prayer of Adoration and The Lord s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. 2

3 WE CONFESS TOGETHER WHAT WE BELIEVE from Psalm 19:7-11 Leader: Christians, what do you believe about the law of God? We believe the law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. They are to be more desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them are the LORD s servants warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Speak, O Lord Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend Speak, O Lord as we come to you to receive the food of your holy Word. Take your truth, plant it deep in us; shape and fashion us in your likeness, That the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, O Lord and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory. Teach us Lord full obedience, holy reverence, true humility. Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see your majestic love and authority. Words of power that can never fail; let their truth prevail over unbelief. Speak, O Lord and renew our minds; help us grasp the heights of your plans for us. Truths unchanged from the dawn of time, that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we ll stand on your promises; and by faith we ll walk as you walk with us. Speak, O Lord till your church is built and the earth is filled with your glory. Community Group Testimony Sharon Stonecipher 3

4 WE REPENT OF OUR SINS AND RECEIVE GOD S MERCY The Call to Confession Proverbs 28:13 and Acts 3:19 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Therefore, repent, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. The Public Confession of Sin from Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Silent Prayers of Confession The Assurance of God s Forgiveness in Jesus Christ Titus 3:4-7 When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 4

5 Thy Mercy, My God Words: John Stocker. Music: Sandra McCracken. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue; Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last, Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast. Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here; Sin would reduce me to utter despair; But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive, And He that first made me still keeps me alive. Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart, Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart; Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground, And weep for the praise of the mercy I ve found. Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son; All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine. All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine. Parents are welcome to take their children, infants up to age 4, to the nursery for the remainder of the service. 5

6 WE HEAR GOD SPEAK IN HIS WORD The Sermon The Heart of the Law Mark 7:1-13 (pg. 842 in the Bible provided) Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands? 6 And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. 8You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. 9And he said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother ; and, Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die. 11 But you say, If a man tells his father or his mother, Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban (that is, given to God)-- 12then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do. The Big Idea: God gave us his law: 1) to restrain our evil behavior, 2) to expose our defiled hearts and lead us to His mercy in Jesus for cleansing, and 3) to express His Fatherly wisdom in how we, His children, should live to please Him. This passage from Mark 7 teaches us how our misunderstanding and misuse of God s law distorts these purposes and misses His grace, which alone can cleanse and change our hearts. 6

7 Sermon Notes When we relate to God s law from the outside in, by our own righteousness 1. we justify ourselves and condemn others (vv. 1-5) 2. we hide our defiled hearts behind the masks of devoted behavior (vv. 6-8) 3. we hold God s law lightly and our self-made rules tightly (vv. 9-13) When we relate to God s law from the inside out, by the grace of Jesus righteousness 1. our hearts and our behavior are in harmony, not hypocrisy (vv. 6-7) 2. our hearts are drawn to God in authentic love and worship. (vv. 6-7) 3. our traditions/laws are dethroned and God s law is enthroned. (vv. 7-8) 7

8 The Prayers of God s People WE FEAST ON JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH IN THE LORD S SUPPER The elders of SPPC welcome to the Lord Supper all baptized Christians who are members in good standing of a congregation where the Biblical gospel is loved and proclaimed. If you have questions about your participation in the sacrament, please speak with one of the elders after the service. The Words of Institution The Giving and Receiving of the Bread and Cup Please wait until all have been served, so we may eat and drink together. The cup trays contain wine on the inner rings and grape juice on the outer ring. Silent Prayers for Communing with Jesus Christ Prayer of Thanks Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you are, and all that you have done for me, and all you promise to do and be for me in Jesus. Thank you for giving me such a great salvation in him. Thank you for forgiving all my sins, crediting me with his righteousness, and adopting me as your dearly loved child. May I never lose sight of the grace you have so freely given me, and may every area of my life reflect that grace to others. In Jesus powerful name, Amen. Prayer of Belief Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt on the cross, taking the judgment I deserved in order to offer me complete forgiveness. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Amen. Prayer for Those Struggling with Sin Lord Jesus, grant that I may see in you the fulfillment of all my need, and may turn from every false satisfaction to feed on you, the True and Living Bread. Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely, and run with perseverance the race set before me, looking to you, the pioneer and finisher of my faith. Amen. Prayer of Commitment to God s People Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in your church. Grant that I may take the steps necessary to be one with your people and live in the fullness of your Spirit. Amen. Prayer for Covenant Children (Not yet received into communing membership) Lord Jesus, thank you for placing me inside your covenant family, the Church. Help me more and more to know you, love you, and follow you as your faithful disciple. Amen. 8

9 WE RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL WITH SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY Worshiping God through Our Financial Giving Because God has lavished us with the riches of his grace in Jesus, we give our money joyfully and sacrificially for the spread of the gospel in our city and around the world. Be Thou My Vision Dallan Forgaill, 8th century Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. Riches I heed not, nor man s empty praise, Thou mine Inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven s joys, O bright Heaven s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all. WE ARE SENT INTO THE WORLD TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS The Benediction 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. The Dismissal Having been equipped and renewed by the grace of God in the gospel, let us go from here to live in the world as those who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 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 of the Month Our missions prayer focus for September is K-Life of St. Petersburg. K-Life is a national Christian ministry reaching jr. and sr. high school students for Christ. Pray that God would use this strategic ministry in our city to draw many students to faith in Jesus Christ and build up His church. Sunday School for All Ages Resumes Today Children, youth and adult Sunday school classes resume today. Take advantage of these opportunities to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Community Groups Sign-Ups God made us for relationships! So, be part of an SPPC Community Group this fall. Sign-up at the Community Group Table in the fellowship hall. For more information, about groups, contact David Massey at Women s Bible Study Begins Tuesday, September 11 Join us for our Fall Women s Bible Study, starting this Tuesday, September 11. We will meet each week at 9:30 a.m. at the church. All women are welcome. We will be studying from the book, Even Better than Eden by Nancy Guthrie. To obtain your study guide, please contact Sharon Stonecipher at smstone54@gmail.com. The cost is $15. Men s Bible Study Begins Friday, September 14 Join with other men for great fellowship and encouragement in Christ, beginning this Friday, September 14 at 7:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall. We will be studying the life of King David. Invite a friend to come with you. Membership Matters Seminar, September If you are interested in becoming a member of SPPC, or want to learn more about the Christian faith and the ministries of our church, then join us for the Membership Matters seminar on Friday evening (dinner) and Saturday morning (breakfast), September 28 and 29. Please register by Thursday, September 27, by contacting Michele Hurm at stpetepres.pca@gmail.com or James Club Meeting The James Club is a Christ-centered outreach ministry for those struggling with alcohol and drug addictions. It meets on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 in the fellowship hall, with a prayer meeting from 7:00-7:15 in the high school room. For more information, contact Kyle Krueger at kkrueger@bloomberg.net. 10

11 THIS WEEK AT SPPC Sunday (September 9) 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 Monday (Office closed) Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Women s Bible Study 7:00 p.m. James Club Prayer meets in the senior high classroom. 7:30 p.m. James Club a gospel-centered ministry for those struggling with alcohol and drug addictions. Meets in the fellowship hall. Friday 7:00 a.m. Men s Bible Study meets in fellowship hall One-Year Community Bible Reading Calendar Monday, Sept 10 Isaiah Philippians 1 Tuesday, Sept 11 Isaiah Philippians 2 Wednesday, Sept 12 Isaiah Philippians 3 Thursday, Sept 13 Isaiah Philippians 4 Friday, Sept 14 Isaiah Colossians 1 Saturday, Sept 15 Psalm

12 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 Dave Shadle Bob Burkham 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 Athens, Greece 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