DISADVANGED OR PRIVILEGED ? (Romans 9: 1-9, 24-25)

Order of Worship:

16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August31, 2008 (Sunday – 9:30 A.M)

For Pre-Service Reading – Psalm 66, Page 136

Opening Hymn 246 – “Holy! Holy! Holy!"

The Invocation

Our Confession Of Sins And God’s Absolution

The Responsive Reading Of Psalm 138, Page 154 In front Of Hymnal
A Sung Litany Of Praise: “Splendor And Honor”

The Scripture Reading - Galatians 3 : 6 - 14

All who trust God’s promises in Christ are true children of Abraham.

The Apostles Creed

Hymn 399 (V 1-4) – “Thee Will I Love, My Strength”

The Sermon ………………………………….. Romans 9: 1-9, 24-25

I speak the truth in Christ – I have great sorrow and anguish in my heart. For I wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adopt- ion as sons; Theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, Who is God over all, forever praised! Amen… Yet not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, it the children of the promises who are Abraham’s true offspring…… For we have been called as His children not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles. As He says in Hosea, “I will call them ‘My people’ who were not My people; And I will call her ‘My loved one” who was not My loved one.”

DISADVANGED OR PRIVILEGED ?
1. Outward Religious Advantage Is No Guarantee Of Spiritual Success
2. Christ Turns The Spiritually-Disadvantaged Into The Truly Privileged

Hymn: “God of Our Fathers”

Our Gifts And Prayers

Our Lord’s Benediction

Closing Hymn 47 –“Savior, Again To Thy Dear Name We Praise”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

THAT MEN MAY KNOW THE UNKNOWN GOD (Acts 17 : 23)

Order of Worship:

Opening Hymn 239 – “Come Thou Almighty King”

The Invocation

AN ACT OF ADORATION

AN ACT OF CONFESSION

The Scripture Reading - Acts 17 : 22 - 34

The Greeks were highly regarded for their education, wisdom and philosophy. They ever sought answers to life’s deepest questions. Whatever new idea or thought surfaced was worthy of discussion, especially religious. High on a hill above Athens, they had erected a temple with idols and altars to every “god” imaginable, including one “To An Unknown God”. This afforded Paul a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the only God Who truly exists, Who created and rules the world and Who has given life to all people.

The Apostles Creed

Hymn 28 (V 1-3) – “Now Let All Loudly Sing Praise”

The Sermon ……………………………………………. Acts 17 : 23

“Now what you worship as something unknown, I will proclaim to you.”

THAT MEN MAY KNOW THE UNKNOWN GOD



Hymn 13 – “Before Jehovah’s Awefull Throne”

Our Gifts For The Lord’s Work

AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING

AN ACT OF SUPLLICATION

The Lord’s Prayer And Benediction

The Closing Hymn – “Almighty God And Lord”

1. Almighty God and Lord, Creator of all things,
To Thee great Three In One To Thee our praises bring.
For all Thou art – In Thee we live and move; To us all blessings give.

2. Thy mercy and Thy grace, My tongue now bless Thy Name;
From Thee the joyful news Of our salvation came;
The Gospel news of sins forgiv’n, of hell subdued and hope of heav’n.

3. My Savior Jesus Christ, My Shepherd and my King;
Lord of my faith and life, Eternal praises sing.
Worthy Thou art! My heart believe, My tongue confess, My Love receive.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Life’s Most Important Question (Acts 16: 31)

Order of Worship:

For Pre-Service Reading – Psalm 143, Page 155

Opening Hymn 373 (V 1-4) – “By Grace I’m Saved”

The Invocation And Responsive Psalm Of Penitence And Mercy
Psalm 85 (Page 140 In Front of Hymnal)

The Order Of Matins ……………………………….. Pages 32 (Only)

P: O Lord, open Thou my lips,
C: And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me.
C: Make haste to help me, O Lord. 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. Hallelujah!

The Scripture Reading – Acts 16: 25 – 34

Imprisoned in one of their life’s darkest moments, Paul and Silas are found praising their Savior by singing hymns. Suddenly an earthquake provides a wonderful witnessing opportunity – as the jailor is struck with fear while amazed at the calmness and conviction of his new prisoners. All of this leads to a vital question, a wonderful answer & the joy of new-found faith in the Savior.

The Apostles Creed (Hymnal, Page 12)

Hymn: “Beautiful Savior”
(Revision Of V 2 & 3 By CLC Pastor Vance Fossum)

1. Beautiful Savior! King of Creation! Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love Thee, Truly I’d serve Thee Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.

2. Foul are His creatures, Foul is our ev’ry work, Robed in sin of blackest dye; Jesus is purer, Jesus is holy; He makes our sorrowing spirit fly!

3. Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight;
Brighter the light of His empty grave.
Jesus died for us! Jesus lives for us!
Shines in our hearts and comes to save!

4. Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration, Now and forevermore be Thine!

The Sermon ……………………………………….. Acts 16: 31

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

Life’s Most Important Question

1. God Leads us To Ask It
2. God So Wonderfully Answers It

Hymn 376 – “Rock Of Ages”

Our Gifts For The Spread Of the Gospel

Our Prayers And Our Lord’s Benediction

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF SANCTIFIED LOVE ? (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

Order of Worship:

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
August 10, 2008 9:30 A.M.

For Pre-Service Reading: Psalm 30, Page 129 (Front Of Hymnal)

Opening Hymn 20 – “God Of Mercy, God Of Grace”

The Liturgy …………………………………….. Hymnal, Page 5ff
(Substitute Hymn 360 (V 1,3 & 7) For “Gloria In Excelsis” (P 7-9)

1. O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His Grace.

2. Jesus – the Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life and health and peace.

3. Glory to God and praise and love Be ever, ever given
By saints below and saints above, The Church in earth and heaven.

(Follow Liturgy On Pages 9 In Middle – To Page 11 In Hymnal)

The Scripture Readings

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 13 – The Greatest Of These Is Love

The Gospel: Lk 17:11-19 –The Ten Lepers: Cleansed! Thankful?

The Apostles Creed (Hymnal, Page 15)

Hymn 349 (V 1-2,5) – “Jesus, Thy Boundless Love To Me”

The Sermon ………………………………… 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love suffers long and is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF SANCTIFIED LOVE ?



Hymn 412 – “May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill”

The Offering, Prayers and Benediction

The Closing Hymn 419 (V3) – “O, Thou Lord Of My Salvation”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Preserve Your Word, O Savior (Acts 15 : 1 -11)

Order of Worship:

Opening Hymn 798 (V 1-2) – “God, We Praise You”

The Worship Supplement Liturgy………………………… Pages 1-5

The Scripture: 2 Timothy Excerpts
The Apostle Paul encourages young Pastor Timothy (and all Christians) to be faithful to their Lord and to His Word by “guarding that good deposit (the Scriptures) that has been entrusted to them”. In the face of the wide- spread and last-times assault upon and indifference to God’s Word which surrounds us, may the Spirit grant us true steadfastness.

Hymn: “Preserve Your Word, O Savior”

1. Preserve Your Word, O Savior, To us this latter day,
And let Your Kingdom flourish; Enlarge Your Church, we pray.
O keep our faith from failing; Keep hope’s bright star aglow.
Let nothing from truth turn us While living here below.

2. Preserve Your Word and preaching, The Truth that makes us whole,
The mirror of Your glory, The pow’r that saves the soul.
Oh, may this liv8ing water, This dew of heav’nly grace,
Sustain us while here living Until we see Your face.

3. Preserve in wave and tempest Your storm-tossed little flock;
Assailed by wind and weather, May it endure each shock.
Stand at the helm, our pilot, And set the course aright;
Then we will reach the harbor In Your eternal light.

The Sermon …………………………………………. Acts 15 : 1 -11

Some came down to Antioch from Judea and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute with them. So they were sent to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders. Along the way and in Jerusalem, they shared news of many Gentile conversions, reporting all that God had done through them.
Then some of the believers who were of the party of the Pharisees said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses.”The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter spoke: “Brothers, you know that God wants Gentiles to hear the Gospel and believe. He has made no distinction between us and them, for He has purified their hearts by faith. Why then do you test God by placing on their necks a yoke which neither we nor our fathers could bear? No, we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved, just as they are.” The whole assembly listened to Paul and Barnabas recount the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentile through them.

The “Create…” (Supplement – Page 6) And The Offering

The Communion Liturgy (Supplement – Pages 7-9)

The Distribution Of The Sacrament (Hymns 754 & 755)
We believe the reception of Lord’s Supper to be not only a great spiritual blessing for one’s personal faith, but also an intimate expression of spiritual and confessional unity. We therefore ask that only those who have expressed such oneness with us by membership at Berea or another CLC church come forward. This is not a judgment of anyone else’s faith, but only an expression of our own. Should you have questions regarding the Sacrament or be seeking a church home, please speak with Pastor.

The Closing Liturgy (Supplement – Pages 10-11)

Closing Hymn 764 (V 1 & 4) – “God Of Grace And God of Glory”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.