by Rev. Jeremiah Rivera
Preparing for the Bridegroom
John 15:1-11
https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Matthew+25:1-13
https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide
CCLI License #390757
9:30a Service
Welcome and Announcements
Choral Introit. “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation.
All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who o’re all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what he ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty will do,
If with his love he befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the amen sound from his people again;
Gladly forever adore him. Amen.
Text: Joachim Neander (1650-1680); Tr. Cathrine Winkworth (1829-1878)
Tune: LOBE DEN HERREN, Ernewerten Gesangbuch, Stralsund, 1665
Arr.: Hal H. Hopson; 3rd stanza harmonized by J.S. Bach
GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 107:1–3
Leader: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
People: For his steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.
All: And gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING
Hymnal #469 “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place”
How sweet and awesome is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.
While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cries, with thankful tongue,
"Lord, why was I a guest?
"Why was I made to hear your voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"
'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.
Pity the nations, O our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send your victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.
We long to see your churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing your redeeming grace.
REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW
Leader: What is the sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man?
People: To love our neighbor as ourselves, and to do to others what we would have them to do to us.
Leader: Jesus said:
People: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF GRACE John 6:37
Song “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me”
What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer.
There is no more for heaven now to give.
He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom,
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus.
For my life is wholly bound to his.
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
The night is dark, but I am not forsaken,
For by my side the Saviour, he will stay.
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing,
For in my need, his power is displayed.
To this I hold: my Shepherd will defend me.
Through the deepest valley he will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven,
The future sure, the price it has been paid.
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon,
And he was raised to overthrow the grave.
To this I hold: my sin has been defeated.
Jesus now, and ever, is my plea.
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
With every breath I long to follow Jesus,
For he has said that he will bring me home.
And day by day I know he will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.
To this I hold: my hope is only Jesus.
All the glory evermore to him.
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson and Michael Farren
© 2018 CityAlight Music | Farren Love And War Publishing | Integrity's Alleluia! Music
CCLI License #390757
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Elder Dean Abbott
Psalm 67:1-7 "O God, Show Mercy to Us”
O God, show mercy to us,
And bless us with Your grace;
And cause to shine upon us
The brightness of Your face;
So that the whole world over
May truly know Your way,
And so that Your salvation
All nations see displayed.
O God, let peoples praise You;
Let all the peoples praise.
Let nations come rejoicing
And songs of gladness raise.
For You will judge the peoples
With perfect equity;
To nations of the whole earth
A governor You’ll be.
O God, let peoples praise You;
Let all the peoples praise.
The earth has brought its bounty
Throughout its harvest days
Since God, our God, will bless us.
Yes, God will blessing send,
That all the earth may fear Him
To its remotest end.
GOD’S WORD READ Matthew 25:1-13
GOD’S WORD PREACHED. “Preparing for the Bridegroom” by Rev. Jeremiah Rivera
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.
Hymnal #378 “Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face”
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand th'eternal grace,
and all my weariness upon thee lean.
Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
Here drink with thee the royal wine of heav'n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv'n.
This is the hour of banquet and of song;
This is the heav'nly table spread for me:
Here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong
The brief, bright hour of fellowship with thee.
I have no help but thine, nor do I need
Another arm save thine to lean upon:
It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in thy might, thy might alone.
Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing Blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace,
Thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord my God.
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 “Let the Earth Resound”
Let the earth resound with songs of praise
To the Father's pow’r and love.
For the One who set each star in place
Chose to set His heart on us.
To the One whose might gives victory
Yet whose mercies never cease,
As the tapestry of history
Tells the story of His grace.
Chorus:
King immortal, faithful God,
Crowned with splendour, rich in love.
Let the heavens and the earth resound
With songs of praise to You.
Let the earth be stilled before the sight
Of a Father's sacrifice,
That revealed the depths of love divine
In the face of Jesus Christ.
Through a life of full obedience,
And a death in agony,
He removed the rebel's punishment
And He set the pris'ner free. [Chorus]
Let the earth resound with songs of faith
At the wonder yet to come,
When all sin and pain are put to death
And the church and Christ are one.
When we stand as God's great family
And we meet the Father's gaze
And we share in His eternal joy
As we join in ceaseless praise. [Chorus]
Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
© 2006 Thankyou Music Ltd
CCLI License #390757
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.
THE BENEDICTION
Postlude
