by Pastor Joel E. Wood
“A Final Word of Grace"
Acts 20:28-38
https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Acts+20:28-38
https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide
CCLI License #390757
9:30a Service
Welcome and Announcements
Choral Introit. “Come Down, O Love Divine "
Come down, O Love divine, come down, O Love divine.
Come down, O Love divine, seek out this soul of mine,
And visit it with Your own ardor glowing.
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear
And kindle it, Your holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn ‘til early passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming.
And let Your glorious light shine ever on my sight,
And make my pathway clear by Your illumining.
And so the yearning strong with which the soul will long
Shall far surpass the pow’r of human telling.
For none can guess God’s grace ‘til love creates a place
Wherein the Holly Spirit makes a dwelling.
Words: Richard Littledale (1867)
after Bianco Da Siena (15th Century)
Music: Penny Rodriguez
GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 108:1–4
Leader: My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!
People: Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
Leader: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
All: For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING
Hymnal #521 “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less”
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
His oath, his covenant, his blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found;
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW
Leader: The Fifth Commandment is:
People: Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
Leader: By father and mother, in the fifth commandment, are meant, not only natural parents, but all superiors in age and gifts; and especially such as, by God’s ordinance, are over us in place of authority, whether in family, church, or commonwealth. (WLC 124)
People: Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:17)
ASSURANCE OF GRACE 2 Corinthians 5:21
Song “He Will Hold Me Fast”
When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold
Through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold;
He must hold me fast.
Chorus
He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight,
Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in His holy sight,
He will hold me fast.
He'll not let my soul be lost,
His Promises shall last,
Bought by Him at such a cost,
He will hold me fast. [Chorus]
For my life He bled and died,
Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied;
He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life,
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight,
When He comes at last! [Chorus]
Ada Ruth Habershon, Matthew Merker
© 2013 Getty Music Publishing; Matthew Merker Music
CCLI #390757
ORDINATION OF ELDERS
Vows of the Elders
- Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as originally given, to be the inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
- Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures; and do you further promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the fundamentals of this system of doctrine, you will, on your own initiative, make known to your Session the change which has taken place in your views since the assumption of this ordination vow?
- Do you approve of the form of government and discipline of the Presbyterian Church in America, in conformity with the general principles of biblical polity?
- Do you accept the office of ruling elder in this church, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof, and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your life, and to set a worthy example before the Church of which God has made you an officer?
- Do you promise subjection to your brethren in the Lord?
- Do you promise to strive for the purity, peace, unity and edification of the Church?
Vow of the Congregation
Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive these brothers as ruling elders, and do you promise to yield them all that honor, encouragement and obedience in the Lord to which their office, according to the Word of God and the Constitution of this Church, entitles them?
The Laying on of Hands and Prayer of Ordination & Installation
The Right Hand of Fellowship
We give you the right hand of fellowship, to take part in this office with us.
I now pronounce and declare that David Fredrickson and Vince Ortiz have been regularly elected, ordained and installed ruling elders in this church, agreeable to the Word of God, and according to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America; and that as such they are entitled to all encouragement, honor and obedience in the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Charge to the New Elders & Congregation
Psalm 3:1-8 “O Lord, My Foes Are Multiplied”
O LORD, my foes are multiplied;
Against me many rise!
They say of me, “He has no help,
Though he on God relies.”
But You, my shield and glory, LORD,
My head You lifted high.
And from His holy hill the LORD
Gave answer to my cry.
I lay down, slept, and woke again;
The LORD sustains my life.
I will not fear ten thousand strong
Surrounding me with strife.
LORD, rise and save me, O my God;
For You subdue my foes!
You strike the jaw of wicked men,
And smash their teeth with blows.
Deliverance is of the LORD,
To grant it as He will;
O may the blessing that You give
Be on Your people still.
GOD’S WORD READ Acts 20:28-38
GOD’S WORD PREACHED. “A Final Word of Grace” 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 " Speak O Lord”
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes, for Your glory
Teach us Lord full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise,
Cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and Authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises;
And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.
Keith Getty, Stuart Townend
© 2005 Thankyou Music
CCLI License #390757
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
Hymnal #730 “Benediction"
May the grace of Christ our Savior
and the Father's boundless love,
with the Holy Spirit's favor,
rest upon us from above.
Thus may we abide in union
with each other and the Lord,
and possess, in sweet communion,
joys which earth cannot afford.
THE BENEDICTION
Postlude
