We gather before Almighty God to remind ourselves of His greatness and our great need for His grace.
Song of Preparation
Psalm 104 (Lyons)
Service Leader
Call to Worship
“The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. [And He says…] ‘The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!’” (Psalm 50:1, 23)
This summons to the whole earth to come and worship God comes from Psalm 50 This Psalm is actually full or warning. It calls on the people of God to remember who God really is and to approach Him with great humility. From the rising of the sun to its setting… anyone upon whom those beams of light might fall… all people are to bring thanksgiving to the Living God.
Song
Rise With The Sun
Service Leader
Corporate Reading
Psalm 148 — Antiphonal Reading Psalm 148 — Antiphonal Reading We are going to read Psalm 148 out loud together antiphonally. That means that different parts of the room will speak to the other parts of the room, and I will interrupt here and there as the leader.
YOU are section 1…
YOU are section 2…
YOU are section 3…
YOU are section 4…EVERYONE is ALL of us… I am the leader… Let’s read with joy and loudness together!
Leader
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!Section 1:
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!Section 2:
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!Leader
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!Section 3:
Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.Section 4:
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!Leader
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!Everyone:
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.Leader
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!Song
How Great How Glorious
Service Leader
Corporate Reading
It is easy to talk about God and not really think about who He is. What are some attributes of God that the Bible makes very clear? What do you know to be true about Him from His Word.
Raise your hand and call it out when I point your direction. What is our God like?
Service Leader
Confession of Sin
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, in the section on the Worship of God, suggests there are appropriate times to practice "solemn humiliation." We understand this to mean purposefully bringing ourselves low, in order to acknowledge the greatness of our God. Listen as I read from Isaiah 40 and use the thoughts of this text, to solemnly go low before your God.
“All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?”
“Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.”
“To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these [stars]? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.”
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” (Isaiah 40:17–18, 21–23, 25–26, 28)
Service Leader
Silence & Meditation
Let's take a moment to sit in silence before our God, reminding ourselves of who he is, and how small we are before Him. (Close this time in a brief prayer adoring God for His greatness.)
Song
Come Ye Sinners
Complementary Scripture Reader
Complementary Reading
Listen to this deep encouragement for the humble from the Word of God
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. [pause] He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28–31)
This reading was from Isaiah 40.
Service Leader
Song Introduction
In our membership covenant we promise "to contribute cheerfully and regularly of [our] income as God has graciously prospered [us] for the support of this church, relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel throughout all nations". This song reflects on God's greatness and our joy in having generously given to His work in this world.
Song
All I Have Is Yours
Lead Elder
Pastoral Prayer
Lead Elder
Scripture Reading
Genesis 1:24–31
Song
For All The Saints
Preacher
Sermon
Genesis 1:24–31
Song
Abide With Me
Service Leader
Benediction
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24–26)
