The Saturday in the Ninth Week After Pentecost

Enter the Presence of God

Welcome & Greeting

Passing of the peace

Call to Worship

God calls us into his presence

Psalm 89:1–18 ESV

1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” 3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Let us pray together:

Almighty and most merciful God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Into your most holy presence we now come. Calm our anxious spirits. Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today. Break down the walls of separation that we have built to keep you from our hardened hearts. Lead us in joy and celebration of the only reality worth knowing, that you love us as we are. Free us for joyful obedience to your claim and call on our lives this day and every day.  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Please be seated.

Confession of Sin

Romans 7:15–20 ESV

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Brothers and sisters, the proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we get to approach God with confidence. In faith and penitence, let us confess our sins before God and one another. Please pray with me during this corporate confession, after which there will be a period for you to confess silently to our Redeemer.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God, you are generous in abundance. You have given to us gifts that we do not deserve. You have called us from death to life, granted us forgiveness through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, given us the Holy Spirit, and made us your children.

You have provided for us, both spiritually and materially. Yet we have failed to be thankful and to rejoice in your goodness. We have ignored you and neglected to give you the praise that is due your name.

Forgive us for our ingratitude. Give us eyes that see your hand at work in all areas of our life. Enable us to realize that every good thing comes from you. And deepen our gratitude so that we might serve you with undivided and joyful hearts. Now hear our silent confessions.

Following our corporate confession, we take a moment to confess our sins in silence.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Words of Comfort and Promise

For those sinners in need of a Savior today, hear these words of promise:

Romans 7:24–8:1 ESV

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Hear the Word of God

Prayer for Enlightenment

Almighty, gracious Father, forasmuch as our whole salvation depends upon our understanding of your holy Word, grant to all of us that our hearts, being freed from worldly affairs, may hear and apprehend your holy Word with all diligence and faith, that we may rightly understand your gracious will, cherish it, and live by it with all earnestness, to your praise and honor; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scriptural Lessons

Romans 6:1–14 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

After the lesson, we respond:

This is the Word of the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

Homily

In whom do you place your trust? This fundamental question lies at the very heart of our faith. Today, we turn our attention to the words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans, where he eloquently expounds on the profound implications of the faith and his answer to this very question.

But before we delve into this passage, let us recall the verses we have previously encountered. In Romans 7:15-20, we were reminded of the struggle within ourselves—the constant battle between the desires of the flesh and the yearning of our new nature in Christ. We recognize the human condition, acknowledging that even as believers, we grapple with the power of sin in our lives.

Yet, Paul doesn't leave us in despair but offers words promise. He points us to the ultimate source of victory—the redeeming grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not even him, “Wretched man that I am!” He assures us that, despite our struggles, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The cross stands as an eternal testament to God's unfailing love and mercy.

Now, let us turn to Romans 6:1-14, where Paul continues to unpack the transformative power of Christ's finished work. He begins with the rhetorical question, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" Paul knew that some might misunderstand the lavishness of God's grace and use it as an excuse to persist in sin. In fact, this was a heresy in the early Church called antinomianism, whereby believers, or presumed believers, would sin without hesitation or reservation. However, Paul firmly rebukes this notion by emphasizing the significance of our union with Christ.

As believers, we were baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. Our old self was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, and we would no longer be enslaved to sin. The finished work of the cross broke the chains of sin's dominion over our lives, setting us free to live in righteousness and holiness- not through any action we have or could have taken.

Just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too are raised to walk in newness of life. The power that raised Jesus from the grave now empowers us to live victorious lives, not in prosperity in the material sense, but in the spiritual sense-no longer controlled by the passions of the flesh. This is the transformative power of the cross—the finished work of our Savior.

Let us not misunderstand this grace as a license to sin. Instead, let us embrace it as a catalyst for holy living. The finished work of Christ on the cross is not just a historical event; it is a present reality in our lives, with Christ living and reigning today. Through faith, we participate in Christ's death and resurrection, and we can walk in victory over sin. Let us daily reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, presenting ourselves as instruments of righteousness. As we abide in Him, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live according to God's will.

In conclusion, let us place our trust firmly in the finished work of the cross. May we continually seek the Lord's grace to resist and battle sin and embrace holy living, drawing quickly to the throne of grace in repentance. Let us draw comfort from the promise that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As we navigate the tensions of our human struggle with sin, may the victorious power of the cross lead us to live transformed lives that bring glory to our Savior and King. So returning to our question, in whom do you put your trust? The finished work of Christ on the cross.

Respond to God

Prayers of Supplication

Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Following the Lord’s Prayer, we continue with the following responsive prayers.

Be exalted, O Lord, above the heavens;

Let your glory cover the earth.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

And make your chosen people joyful.

Give peace in our time, O Lord;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Let your way be known on earth;

Your saving power among all nations.

Lord, keep our nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And revive us by your Spirit.

Prayer of Response and Thanksgiving

Thanks be to you, O God, Gracious Father.From you we have received every gift, the gift of life itself, the gift of light and reason, the illumination of your Spirit. From you has come the gift of redemption, forgiveness of sin, and the healing of our spirits by your Holy Spirit. From you has come the hope of eternal life, and all the gifts of grace for this life. It is therefore to you that we give ourselves, so that you are our God and we your people. Thanks be to you, O God, Gracious Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Depart in Peace

Having answered the call to worship, confessed and received assurance of pardon, and having heard the Gospel, the Church is to depart and serve, loving God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves.

Hebrews 13:20–21 (ESV)

Benediction

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore. Amen.

Amen