New Life Presbyterian Church of La Mesa

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The Greater Joy for Thanksgiving

Rev. Dr. Joel E. Wood

Sunday, November 23, 2025

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by Pastor Joel E. Wood

“The Greater Joy for Thanksgiving”

Psalms 4:1-8

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Psalms+4%3A1-8

https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide

CCLI License #390757

9:30a Service

Welcome and Announcements

Choral Introit. “Anthem of Gratitude”

“Now Thank We All Our God”

Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices.

Who wondrous things hath done, in whom our song rejoices!

Who gave this church its birth and blessed it through the years

With countless gifts of love and grace for every tear.

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth over and around us lies:

Christ to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour, of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light:

Christ to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, thank You God.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent child,

Friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild:

Christ to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. We give praise!

For the church that evermore lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore Her pure sacrifice of love:

Alleluia, etc.

We thank you God. Thank you God.

Welcome and Announcements

GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord, give praise, O servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God!

People: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

Leader: You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!

People: Blessed be the Lord from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem!

Hymnal #715 " Come, Ye Thankful, People Come”

Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home:
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
for our wants to be supplied:
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God's own field,
fruit unto his praise to yield;
wheat and tares together sown,
unto joy or sorrow grown:
first the blade, and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear:
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take his harvest home;
from his field shall in that day
all offenses purge away;
give his angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast,
but the fruitful ears to store
in his garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come
to thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin;
there forever purified,
in thy presence to abide:
come, with all thine angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home.

REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW

Leader: Honor your father and your mother.

People: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Leader: You shall not murder.

People: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,

and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Leader: You shall not commit adultery.

People: Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent

has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Leader: You shall not steal.

People: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

Do your work quietly and earn your own living.

Leader: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

People: Having put away falsehood,

let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor.

Leader: You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's.

People: For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your

neighbor as yourself.

SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE Psalm 130:3-7

Hymnal #98 “Now Thank We All Our God”

Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms,
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever-joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven–
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heav'n adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Reception of New Members

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Elder Brad Tidwell

Psalm 107:1-9 "O Thank the Lord”

O thank the LORD for He is good,

His love endures eternally!

So let the LORD’s redeemed declare,

The ones He from their foes set free;

He gathered them and brought them forth

From east and west, from south and north.

They wandered through the wilderness,

No city found in which to dwell.

Their hunger and their thirst increased,

Their souls within grew faint as well.

So to the LORD they cried, hard-pressed,

He rescued them from their distress.

Then to a city forth they went;

He led them on a pathway straight.

So let them to the LORD give thanks

For all His love and wonders great.

The thirsty soul He satisfies;

With good the hungry He supplies.

GOD’S WORD READ Psalms 4:1-8

GOD’S WORD PREACHED. “The Greater Joy for Thanksgiving” by Pastor Joel E. Wood

Prayer Of Application & 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.

Song “His Mercy Is More”

What love could remember no wrongs we have done?

Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum.

Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore,

Our sins, they are many; His mercy is more.

What patience would wait as we constantly roam?

What Father, so tender, is calling us home?

He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor.

Our sins, they are many; His mercy is more.

What riches of kindness He lavished on us.

His blood was the payment; His life was the cost.

We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford.

Our sins, they are many; His mercy is more.

Chorus

Praise the Lord, His mercy is more.

Stronger than darkness, new ev’ry morn.

Our sins, they are many; His mercy is more. [Repeat]

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.

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Words of Institution & 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 for the Lord’s Supper

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Song “My Heart Is Filled”