Pastor Joel E. Wood
Sermon Title: A Ready Response
Sermon Text: Acts 4:13-22
Worship Guide: https://bit.ly/05Nov23_AM_Worship
Welcome and Announcements
Introit – “He Will Hold Me Fast”
Call to Worship – Romans 11:33-36
Leader: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
People: “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise...”
Leader: “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
People: For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.
Trinity Hymnal #312 “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed”
Hail to the Lord's Anointed,
great David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free,
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.
He comes with comfort speedy
to those who suffer wrong;
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
whose souls, condemned and dying,
were precious in his sight.
He shall come down like showers
upon the fruitful earth;
and love, joy, hope, like flowers,
spring in his path to birth;
before him on the mountains
shall peace, the herald, go;
and righteousness, in fountains,
from hill to valley flow.
O'er ev'ry foe victorious,
he on his throne shall rest,
from age to age more glorious,
all-blessing and all-blessed;
the tide of time shall never
his covenant remove;
his name shall stand forever–
that name to us is Love.
Reflection on the Law
Leader: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
People: This is the great and first commandment. (Matt. 22: 37-38)
Leader: God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me."
People: For although there may be so-called "gods" in heaven or on earth... yet for us there is one God. (1 Cor. 8:5-6)
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.
People: What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. (2 Cor. 6:16)
Leader: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
People: Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (Jam. 5:12)
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
People: There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. (Heb. 4:9-10)
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon – Romans 6:12-14
Trinity Hymnal #672 “Trust and Obey”
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his Word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise,
not a cloud in the skies,
but his smile quickly drives it away;
not a doubt or a fear,
not a sigh nor a tear,
can abide while we trust and obey. (Refrain)
Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief nor a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]
But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
and the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we will walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go,
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
Prayer of the Church – Elder B. Wood
Psalm 143:7-11 “Lord, Quickly Answer Me” [tune: Trinity Hymnal #170]
LORD, quickly answer me!
O how my spirit fails!
O do not hide Your face from me,
That I may not become
Like those now in the pit,
O let me not with them descend.
O let me hear Your love
When morning light appears;
For I have placed my trust in You.
Teach me to know the way,
Show me where I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.
O LORD, deliver me
From all my enemies;
Teach me Your will, I hide in You
You truly are my God;
May Your good Spirit lead,
Directing me on level ground.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Save me, preserve my life,
And free my soul in righteousness.
True to Your cov’nant love,
Fully consume my foes,
Because I servant am to You.
God’s Word Read: Acts 4:13-22
God’s Word Preached: “A Ready Response” by Pastor Joel E. Wood
Prayer of Application and the Lord’s Prayer
All: 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 also have forgiven 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.
Trinity Hymnal #248 “Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended”
Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
Who was the guilty who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.
Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered:
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered:
for man's atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.
For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation:
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.
Trinity Hymnal p. 845 - “Apostles Creed”
Minister: Christian, what do you believe?
All: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Words of Institution and Warning
Minister: The Lord be with you;
People: And also with you.
Minister: Lift up your hearts;
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Communion Prayer
Approach the Table
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Song of Praise “He Who Began a Good Work in You” (CCLI #15238)
He who began a good work in you,
He who began a good work in you
Will be faithful to complete it,
He'll be faithful to complete it;
He who started a work
Will be faithful to complete it in you.
Trinity Hymnal #731 “Doxology”
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav'nly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Benediction
Postlude
