Saturday, December 9th

Meditation

Reflect on these words about the incarnation of the Lord Jesus.

In Christ two natures met to be your cure.

~George Herbert~

Call to Worship

Hear God call you to worship through his word

Luke 19:37–38 (ESV)

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Adoration

Say or sing this praise to God

Prepare the way, O Zion,

your Christ is drawing near!

Let every hill and valley

a level way appear.

Greet One who comes in glory,

foretold in sacred story.

O blest is Christ who came

in God’s most holy name.

He brings God’s rule, O Zion;

he comes from heaven above.

His rule is peace and freedom,

and justice, truth, and love.

Lift high your praise resounding.

for grace and joy abounding.

Fling wide your gates, O Zion;

your Savior’s rule embrace,

and tidings of salvation

proclaim in every place.

All land will bow rejoicing,

their adoration voicing.

~Frans Michael Franzén~

Reading of the Law

Hear God’s law as his will for your life

The words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect… Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven… Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you… So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 5:20, 48; 6:1, 33; 7:12

Confession of Sin

Confess your sins to God

I, poor sinner, confess myself before God Almighty, that I have gravely sinned by the transgression of his commandments; that I have done many things which I should have left undone, and I have left undone that which I should have done, through unbelief and distrust in God and weakness of love toward my fellow servants. God knows the guilt I have incurred, for which I am grieved. Be gracious to me, Lord. Be merciful to me, a poor sinner. Amen.

~Diebold Schwarz~

Assurance of Pardon

Receive these words of comfort from God

Jeremiah 31:33–34 (ESV)

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Athanasian Creed, Part 3

Confess what you believe about the Christian faith

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally. Now this is the catholic faith:

that we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence…

But it is necessary for eternal salvation that one also believe in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.

Now this is the true faith:

that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is both God and man, equally.

He is God from the essence of the Father, begotten before time;

and he is man from the essence of his mother, born in time;

completely God, completely man, with a rational soul and human flesh;

equal to the Father as regards divinity,

less than the Father as regards humanity.

Although he is God and man, yet Christ is not two, but one.

He is one, however, not by his divinity being turned into flesh,

but by God’s taking humanity to himself.

He is one, certainly not by the blending of his essence,

but by the unity of his person.

For just as one man is both rational soul and flesh,

so too the one Christ is both God and man.

He suffered for our salvation;

he descended to hell;

he arose from the dead on the third day;

he ascended to heaven;

he is seated at the Father’s right hand;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

At his coming all people will arise bodily and give an accounting of their own deeds.

Those who have done good will enter eternal life,

and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith: that one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.

Praise

Say or sing this praise to God

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him all creatures here below;

Praise him above ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

~Doxology~

Catechism

Receive this instruction from the Heidelburg Catechism:

Q. 33. Why is he called God’s “only begotten Son” when we also are God’s children?

A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God – adopted by grace for the sake of Christ.

Prayer for Illumination

As you read his word, ask God to enlighten your mind and heart.

Almighty God, I earnestly ask you for such deeper fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who speaks in the blessed Scriptures, that when I open them, I may perceive his mind in what I read, and immediately hear in them his voice to myself. I ask you for a quicker understanding in spiritual things, for more desire to understand, a fuller perception of your promise in the church, that I may become teachable, and may love that by which you will teach me. Amen.

~Henry Wotherspoon~

Scripture Reading

Read this portion of God’s word

Psalm 110

Praise

Say or sing this praise to God

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Glory be to you, O Lord Most High.

Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

~Sanctus~

Prayer of Intercession

As you make your requests to God, pray this prayer.

Slay utterly, O Lord, and cast down the sin which does so easily beset us; bridle the unholy affection; stay the unlawful thought; chasten the temper; regulate the spirit; correct the tongue; bend the will and the worship of our souls to you, and so sanctify and subdue the whole inward man, that setting up your throne in our hearts, to the dethronement of all our idols, and the things of earth we hold too dear, you may reign there alone in the fullness of your grace, and the consolations of your presence, till the time arrives when we shall reign with you in glory. Amen.

~Richard Brooke~

Further Petition

Pray for First Baptist Shapleigh

Pray for our missions efforts in Sekenani

Lord’s Prayer

Pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray.

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.

Benediction

Receive by faith this blessing from God.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Postlude

In closing, say or sing this praise to God.

His Name forever shall endure,

last like the sun it shall;

Men shall be blessed in Him,

and blessed all nations shall Him call.

Now blessed be the Lord, our God,

the God of Israel,

For He alone does wondrous works,

in glory that excel.

And blessed be His glorious Name

to all eternity;

The whole earth let His glory fill.

Amen, so let it be.

~based on Psalm 72:17-19~