The Stones Will Cry Out

- CALL TO WORSHIP -

Let us rise and worship the Triune God.

ADORATION

Minister: Bless the Lord who forgives our sins. Congregation: His mercy endures forever. Amen.

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 22:22–23 “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!”

Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!

PRAYER

O Lord God, You inhabit eternity, the heavens declare your glory, the cosmos is your Temple and your presence fills the universe. And yet, you made us and gave us capacity for joy. You have made us who were are and given us all we have. In You we live and move and have our being. Grant us a greater sense of your wisdom and presence as you work to bring your kingdom through Your Son, our Lord. Give us Your Holy Spirit that our hearts would be raised to you out of the dust from which we have been created.

Almighty God, we worship you now through Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with You, and the Holy Spirit, One God, world without end, and Amen.

HYMN

All Glory, Laud and Honor (614)

- CONFESSION -

Please sit.

EXHORTATION (Samuel Davidson)

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:15)

What is a Calvinist supposed to do with the judgment passages of Scripture? Is he to fear them as future possibilities being prodded along into holiness by the threat of losing his salvation? That would be an affront to the saving power of the blood of Christ and the efficacious working of the Holy Spirit. So, what else? Must he simply overlook them as that which applies to the reprobate and move on to the next verse? But the Scriptures are given not to the reprobate but to the covenant people of God, even the warning passages, which were ‘written for our instruction’ (Romans 15:4). So then how must one understand the warning passages in Scripture like, “if you live according to the flesh, you will die.”

The passage does not say that Christians will live according to the flesh but only that if they do, they will die. That much is true. The threat of damnation hangs over Christians and non-Christians alike. “The soul that sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:20)” The threat is as real for Christians as for unbelievers: If Christians continue in sin till their dying breath, they will die. The link between cause and effect is as strong for the children of God as for the enemies of God. The only difference between them is that the children of God will not continue in sin till their dying breath, they will return and be restored to fellowship by that same blood that saved them. So, remember that while it is true that if you could lose your salvation, you would lose your salvation, the threat is still very real for you. Even if the harness that holds you is made out of divine blood and will safely carry you across the chasm of death, you are still hanging over a deep chasm and will do till you are brought safely home.

So, take heart to the warning, remember where you could fall to and give thanks and praise to God who keeps you safe.

This reminds us of our need to confess our sins so let us prepare to do so as we sing..

PSALM

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God (704)

CONFESSION OF SIN

So, as you are able please kneel in confession before God

Romans 2:12–13 “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;” Father, we are sorry that we have presumed upon your kindness so much, not realizing that your patience in deal with us must draw us to repentance. We confess that we have committed sin knowing that we will find forgiveness and as a result have treating the precious blood of your Son as a thing to be trifled with.

You have called Your church to truth in the inward parts, so we confess our individual sins to you now, Selah.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Please rise for the assurance of pardon! Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Christian, through every dark night of the soul and every trial of fire, you can be assured that Christ will always be with you.

Minister: Your sins are forgiven through Christ. Congregation: Thanks be to God!

CONFESSION OF FAITH

Having confessed our sins, let us now confess our common faith in the words of the apostles’ creed, saying, Minister: Christians, what do you believe? Congregation: We believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin,Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hades. On the third day He rose again, from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.Amen.

WCF

Minister: The fear of the Lord is clean and pure. Congregation: The fear of the Lord endures forever. Minister: The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, Congregation: Whether or not they are small or great. Minister: The fear of God is our foundation for worship. Congregation: Amen.

HYMN

I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes (233)

- CONSECRATION -

SCRIPTURE READING

HYMN

Please sit. The Son of God Goes Forth to War (666)

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER

HYMN

Please stand. Be Not Far Off, for Grief is Near (41b)Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun....................137

SERMON

The Stones Will Cry Out (Samuel Davidson)

PRAYER

Ending with The Lord’s Prayer…

OFFERTORY

Please stand. Doxology (734)

- COMMUNION -

Please sit.

MEDITATION

God saves sinners. God, the triune God who made the world and upholds all things by the word of His power ruling over all that comes to pass, even the thoughts and actions of men. God saves sinners: Not people down on their luck, not good people who make mistakes, not people who try not to hurt anyone but act kindly towards everyone. God saves sinners. Sinners, who in every waking moment rebel against Him. Who, while they sleep find no means because the presence of God torments their souls because of the sins that they walk in. Who, try to shut out God by means of religion, and good family values and all that talk about being a good hearted patriot. Sinners, who think that education or politics can save them and so give themselves to philosophers or kings with such devotion that all around them seems insignificant in comparison. Sinners, who lie wasted away in dingey motel rooms, hooked to needles and prostitutes. All these sinners God saves.

God saves, really saves, not merely by giving them good advice, not merely by setting before them the right way in which they should walk, not merely by teaching them many good and beautiful things about the life of Christ, not merely by manifesting his power and presence in their day-to-day circumstances but by actually becoming Man, living a sinless life, sweating blood, being nailed to a tree, being buried in the heart of the earth, coming to life again on the third day, ascending into the heaven and taking His rightful place as king, sending His Holy Spirit, revealing to you your sin, and moving your heart to cry out to Him to save you from it, and then finally answering that prayer: justifying you, adopting you into His family, teaching you to walk as He walked, giving you joy, giving you peace, giving you one another. This is the Gospel we share in today. In this bread and wine, you are reminded this Gospel. So, come and welcome to Jesus Christ.

THE BREAD

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he broke it:

My Song Is Love Unknown (488, vs. 1-3) And when Jesus had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

THE WINE

My Song Is Love Unknown (488, vs. 4-7)

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

- COMMISSION -

Please stand.

CLOSING DOXOLOGY

The congregation may raise hands.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

Numbers 6:24–26 ““The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’”