January 9, 2022 - Sunday Service Live Stream

Ascension Presbyterian Church Longwood

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Welcome grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the corporate worship of our great

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God Please stand Brethren, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the

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Living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels

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To the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven

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To God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things

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Than that of Abel come Let us worship him Please pray with me

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Father Son and Holy Spirit We joyfully heed your call to come and worship you we thank you for the merits of Christ his perfect mediation which makes our feeble worship glorious and accepted by you

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I Pray that all of your saints would be encouraged and built up in the faith today

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That they would sing your praises that they would delight to do your will that they would give thanks to you

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In all things Oh Lord, we believe the promise that you are here with us and we rejoice

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That you call us by name We ask all these things in the name of Christ, please kneel as we confess our sins corporately

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Let us join together with one voice in the corporate confession of sin most holy and merciful

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That we have sinned against you We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength

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We have not fully loved our neighbors as ourselves We have not always had in us of the mind of Christ You alone know how often we have grieved you by wasting your gifts

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By wandering from your ways Forgive us we pray

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Please stand It's a fearful thing to approach a holy

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God, but we have Jesus Receive now the assurance of pardon

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Who is a God like you? Pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage

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He does not retain his anger forever Because he delights in mercy

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He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities

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He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea

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Oh Brethren in Christ take heart today in him. You have the forgiveness of sins.

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Amen Let's joyfully saying number 642 be thou my vision

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The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the

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Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor He has sent me to heal the appeal the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives

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And the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the

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Lord And the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn to console those who mourn in Zion To give them beauty for acid ashes the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness

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That they may be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified

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And they shall rebuild the old ruins They shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the ruined cities the desolations of many generations

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Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks and the sons of the foreigner shall be your plowman and your bind dressers

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But you shall be named the priests of the Lord. They shall call you the servants of our God You shall eat the riches of the

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Gentiles and in the glory in their glory. You shall boast Instead of your shame you shall have double honor and instead of confusion.

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They shall rejoice in their portion Therefore in their land they shall possess double

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Everlasting joy shall be theirs For I the Lord love justice.

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I hate robbery for burnt offering I will direct their work in truth and will make with them an everlasting covenant

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Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles in their offspring among the people all who see them shall acknowledge them

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That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed I will greatly rejoice in the

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Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation

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He has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels for as the earth brings forth its bud as The garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth

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So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations this is the word of the

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Lord Let us now confess our faith together in the singing of the

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Apostles Creed And Seeing the multitudes

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Jesus went up on a mountain and when he was seated his disciples came to him

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Then he opened his mouth and taught them saying Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Lord, we are poor indeed. We are not satisfied with your laws' demands for justice and for righteousness,

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Lord. We are totally broken, inept, and corrupted by sin. If you could help us to be convicted of our sin, that we would pursue righteousness, that we would recognize our spiritual bankruptcy, apart from your grace.

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Lord, just as the hymn writer says, Nothing in my hands I bring, but simply to your cross

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I cling. Lord, it is by the work of Christ and Christ alone that we have reconciliation to you, that we are forgivers of sins.

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Fellowship can be restored between sinful men and the holy. If you would help us pray this in Jesus' name.

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Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Lord, lead us in the life of repentance.

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By your spirit be led in the life of repentance, that we would properly mourn for our sin, because it offends a righteous and holy

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God. And we pray that we mourn for our sin, that we also know that we have a rock to lean on in Christ, that we know that Christ bore what was due to us for our sin.

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So although we mourn, we know that Christ is pleading on our behalf to you,

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Father. His righteousness. And Lord God, may we mourn, but then also have strength.

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And may your spirit lead us in this balance. We pray that we would live a life of repentance that seeks to repent of all the sins in our lives and hidden in our hearts.

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All the neglecting of your law, all the things that we fail to do, that you require from us, and loving our neighbors, and loving you.

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We pray that we would truly be repentant, that you would break our hearts because of sin, that we would see sin the way that you see it,

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Lord God. And again, we lift up praise for Christ and what he's done for us.

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In your son's name we pray. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

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And our strength in you. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

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Lord, may we always seek first your kingdom. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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Keep us mindful of what forgiveness means. Father, we thank you for the forgiveness that you have shown us.

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Thank you for sending your son. We pray that because we have this great grace, that you would help us to forgive others as you have forgiven us.

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That we would not hold our brother's sin against him, but that we would forgive him, not seven times, but seventy times seven.

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So help us to live peacefully with one another and with grace.

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Lord, create in us clean hearts.

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Father, who shall come to the hill of the Lord, but him who has a pure heart and clean hands.

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And we know that in and of ourselves we don't have that, but we ascend now by the

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Lord Jesus Christ. And we do pray that you would create in us clean hearts and right spirits within us.

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Throughout this day, and I pray throughout this week as we go about our tasks, that we would keep in mind the law of God, and that we would love the law of God.

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We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Help us to pursue peace.

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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.

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Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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Amen. Please stand and take up the insert again for our Psalm of the

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Month. We are singing Psalm 103. I think we're pretty familiar with it.

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Psalm 103. Thanksgiving season, 2

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Corinthians chapter 8. This is

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God's holy and infallible word. Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

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For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

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And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the

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Lord and then to us by the will of God. So we urge

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Titus, as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.

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But as you abound in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us, see that you abound in this grace also.

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I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

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Please pray with me. O Lord, we rejoice today of the grace that we have had the privilege to sing about, the grace that all the people of God have experienced, the grace you continue to show us, and the grace you will show to the nations.

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We pray, O Lord, that your name would be hallowed here, that you would be glorified, that your people would find all of their delight and joy and satisfaction in you, and that their thanksgiving would resound with praise and adoration and obedience and service and love and good works.

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And we ask that you would take this ordinary Sunday and make it a special day of worship, instruction, fellowship, sacrament, all the beautiful gifts you give to your people.

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O Lord, help us to savor all of these things. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated.

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In Paul's second canonical letter to the Corinthians, he has been eager to defend his apostolic authority.

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And this could seem self -serving on the front side, but in reality he is concerned that the church hear the gospel and hear the teaching that Paul was offering for their good.

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Today we are considering a very interesting little section in 2

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Corinthians that refers to the offering that was given by the church at Macedonia for the

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Judean saints who were suffering during a time of famine. Look at the text again.

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The title today is, You Know the Grace of Our Lord Jesus. And the central idea here is the

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Macedonian's care for the Judean saints, the Macedonian's care for the

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Judean saints. And there's a lot there to consider. So what is the context?

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Well, if we turn back to 1 Corinthians 16, the first mention of this in Paul's letters is found there.

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Turn really quickly back there. 1 Corinthians 16. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also.

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On the first day of the week, let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there may be no collections when

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I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters,

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I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.

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The first mention of a famine in the land is found, and we're not going to go there, in Acts 11.

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The prophet Agabus says this to the church at Antioch.

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He stands up in their midst and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout the world.

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Later it says, then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.

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They sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. There are two separate collections that have been taken, at least by Paul.

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The first comes exclusively from the church at Antioch, and the reason for that collection is the hardship the brethren are experiencing in Judea.

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Now this is very important because there's something very powerful happening. The Gentiles are partakers of the riches that had been revealed to Israel.

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And now Paul sees not only a practical opportunity, a demonstrable effort to show love from those churches to relieve the saints who are afflicted in this time of famine, but he also,

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I believe, sees an opportunity for the church in Judea to see the great work that God had done amongst the

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Gentiles. It is contraintuitive. It's completely against the norm that people in Greece would send money to help the people in Jerusalem.

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That kind of thing just didn't happen. And in fact, in the Roman world, there was an element of benefaction and patronage that is connected kind of to what we do today in the world of philanthropy.

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People give money that their name might be on the building, that kind of idea. Paul argues today in our text that their giving to this cause is motivated by the grace they have received from God.

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That their obedience, their love, their mercy to show love to these brethren comes from God's grace.

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Let's go back and look here again at chapter 8, verse 1. Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia.

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The Macedonian churches are held up as an example to the church at Corinth.

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Now, there's some speculation that maybe the Corinthians were not as eager to give to this cause.

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We don't have definitive answers about that. But Paul is revisiting this idea and Titus is present.

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He's ready to take the offering should they give it. But I want to stop here and pause for a moment about this idea of the grace of God.

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We woke up this morning, our hearts were beating and we were breathing, taking air into our lungs because of the grace of God.

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There's a beautiful couple that's going to get married sometime soon in the future. And it's because of the grace of God that he brought these two together.

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Our entire concept of salvation, it was prayed in many different ways by our men in the prayers of the people.

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These things are workings of God by His grace. We are saved, we are redeemed in Christ because God has shown

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His love to us in Christ and it's been unmerited, undeserved.

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We don't deserve what we have from God and He's showered it upon us. And it seems as though the

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Macedonians are enduring a great trial. Again, there's a lot of speculation that they were being persecuted.

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We know that there were three Roman wars that were waged right in that region during the intervening years as the church's gospel begins to spread there.

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So they were enduring hard things. Look at verse 2. It says, and then a great trial of affliction.

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The abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

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Their giving generously to the Judeans reflected the grace of God.

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They were so thankful for God's love and favor, they had to act.

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They wanted to bless and provide practical help to the brethren.

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This was motivated by a sincere appreciation and thanksgiving for the grace of God.

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Now, what's unexpected here, if you look at verse 2, the Corinthians are a wealthy church.

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You know anything about the history we talked about before, for those of you who are with us regularly? It's a merchant town.

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It's a cosmopolitan kind of place. It's got everything in their markets. A lot of wealth, a lot of trading, a lot of foreign travel.

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And apparently, the Macedonians were in dire straits. We know in Philippi there was a great absence of men, and the women were scraping out a subsistence living.

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And in places in northern Greece, like Macedonia, there was similar economic strife that maybe limited what would appear on the outside, the capacity of those churches to give to help those who were suffering under the famine.

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But look again at verse 2. In that great trial of affliction, they have their own drama to deal with.

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They have their own hardship. What is produced here? In the midst of that, there is an abundance of their joy.

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And in their deep poverty abounded a spirit of great liberality and giving.

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What's so striking here is the sacrifice. Isn't this really the hallmark of giving?

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Is the sacrifice that is connected to it? The widow's might? She doesn't have a lot.

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She gives all she has. Apparently, the Macedonians didn't have a lot, but they were so moved by the grace of God that they had to show that grace to others.

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So Paul here is trying to stir up unto good works the Corinthians in the same way.

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He's not just interested in them getting a big offering together. He wants the fruit that would abound to their account.

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He wants them to experience the blessing. He also wants them to love the idea of the fellowship of ministering to the saints.

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When you think about what we've been studying in 1 and 2 Corinthians for the last couple of years, there's a lot of problems in Corinth.

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You can say we need to get our house in order before we start helping other people. Paul says now is the time to help others.

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To show that love that you've been shown to others. The abundance of their joy, their deep poverty, in this abounds the riches of their gift.

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And it says, continuing on, he bears witness. Look at verse 3. He bears witness that according to their ability, yes, and even beyond their ability, they were freely willing.

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Commentator Barnes said, but I should say Henry said, abundant spiritual joy enlarges men's hearts in the work and labor of love.

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So as we talked about in Sunday school today, if you're not feeling or sensing that joy, there's something amiss because he's supplied joy abundantly to us.

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How different this is from the conduct of those who will not join in any good work unless they are urged to do it.

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Don't be like that. Paul wants the Corinthians to take the spirit, the heart that the

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Macedonians have. He wants them to love the suffering brethren in Jerusalem.

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If you know anything about this history, this famine lasts for up to 10 years.

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It's a very long time. And there may have been a jubilee year mixed in there where there was no cultivation of crops.

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So they're really low. They're really diminished. They're really in a dire situation economically, even those practical things, just like food and clothing and basic shelter.

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The Macedonians hear about it and the love of God shed abroad in their hearts.

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They're filled with the spirit. They've known the grace of God. They have to move. They have to act.

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He says they did it beyond their ability. There's another thing here that's very interesting.

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If you look at verse four, and I can tell you as a pastor, this doesn't happen very often.

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He says they implored us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

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The Macedonians wanted to participate. They wanted to be a part of this great act of mercy.

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They were so eager. They were so urgent. They're banging down Paul's door.

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Receive our gift. Go and take it to help the brethren in Jerusalem. What's the motivation for all this?

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They've tasted the grace of God. They know what salvation is in Christ.

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And I dare say to you, you too know what this salvation is.

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Your whole life is a testimony to God's grace. Sure, it's easy to see all the lack and all the want in your life, but what about all the blessings?

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If you had a ledger, the credits would be larger as a Christian than the debits.

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I guarantee it. You have been blessed innumerable ways by the grace of God.

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And something happened in Macedonia. They laid hold of this wonderful truth. And as it so happens, to really apprehend the truth, you must act upon it.

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They heard about the Judeans. They must give to this cause. And now

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I'd like to spend a little bit of time in verse 5. And this may be the start of the application of the message as well in some sense.

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Look at verse 5. And not only as we hoped, referring to this offering and their service, but they first gave themselves to the

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Lord and then to us by the will of God. One commentator said, but first they gave their own selves to the

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Lord. They first made an entire consecration of themselves and all that they had to the

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Lord. They kept nothing back. An application of this wonderful little section has to be this for you.

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What have you withheld? What have you not consecrated to the Lord? What part of your life, what part of your family, what part of your existence have you not entirely given over to the

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Lord's service? We all should do some searching here. Because we have left some things out in our giving to the

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Lord. They entirely set apart their lives and all that they had, recognizing that it all belonged to Him.

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Do you recognize today that your entire life, your entire existence belongs to our

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God? And since that's true, you and I need to live and act as if that is true.

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Consecrate today in your hearts and the power of the Holy Spirit, the entirety of your life.

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Leave nothing back, nothing held in reserve. Lay it all down in service to Him. You've tasted that the

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Lord is good. You've known the grace of God. He saved you from your sins.

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He's given you a beautiful life, a hope, a future. He's given you children and some of you grandchildren.

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Consecrate your life to Christ. Very powerful statement about the state of the souls in Macedonia.

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Could it be said of us? I hope it could be today because of the working of the

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Holy Spirit that we entirely have given ourselves over to the

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Lord and His service. There's something else there. That second part, the

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Corinthians are characterized by a mistrust of Paul and his apostolic band.

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And Paul is showing a shining example of the Macedonian churches and how they're giving.

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But you notice the second part, it says they gave themselves to them as well. The last half, last part of verse five.

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They trusted Paul and his companions to deliver the relief to Jerusalem in this age when pastors are viewed as not much higher than used car salesmen.

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And that's actual perception. We have to trust our leaders, not only in this church, but in other faithful churches.

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Just like in the family situation, we have to trust our fathers. They're imperfect, but we have to look to them because God has conferred upon them powers and responsibilities and and wives and children need to look up to their daddies and say, we trust you.

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We give ourselves to you in service to you because we know that God has ordered things are right.

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The Macedonians were not suspicious of Paul. They thought he was a faithful man. They were not suspicious of Titus and Luke and those other gentlemen who were with him.

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They said, you take our money bags and you deliver them to Jerusalem. It seems that the

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Corinthians were struggling with that concept. Let's continue on in verse six.

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He urges Titus, who is going to be he's not only the carrier of the letter, he's been resident in Corinth for a couple of years at least.

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And Titus has reported back to Paul the good news that they no longer despise him, that they love him and they long for him.

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And so now he urges Titus to to say, you guys need to complete this giving enterprise.

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You need to give generously to this work of relieving the Judeans. I want to stop again and remind you, a great natural chasm exists between the

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Jews and the Gentiles. The gospel breaks down the walls.

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Right. As I said before, in many different ways, there are divisions among us in the world, nationally, ethnic, politically.

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The gospel shatters all of those divisions. All of those things that separate us are brought low because of Christ.

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What a powerful testimony. The Jews are suspicious of the

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Gentiles, like should they even be included in the church? The Gentiles, when they see the

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Judaizing ways of the Jews, they say, do you guys even understand the gospel of grace?

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You're trying to impose circumcision on us. You're trying to impose law as a means of justification.

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And in all this, a calamity. A famine, as I mentioned this morning in our

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Sunday school. It's very amazing to consider. That there's a famine that happens in the formation of Israel.

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And they have to go to Egypt. And because of the treachery of his brothers,

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Joseph has been in Egypt planning for anticipating a future famine.

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They meant it for evil. But God meant it for good. The famine, the hard things, the trials, the afflictions become the occasion for God's grace to be manifested.

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That's how we count it all joy. You say, I don't want to have these trials. I don't want to have this bodily affliction.

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I don't want this suffering in my life. I say, embrace it. That God may be glorified in you.

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It seems that he likes to operate this way. He's very happy for there to be a 10 -year famine.

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That the Gentiles might love the Jews. And that the Jews might know that they're loved by the

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Gentiles. Because the grace of God has been known by them all. It's very powerful when you begin to really dig into it and think about it.

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Well, time is rolling on. So, there's some good fruit happening.

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In verse 7, we learn that progress has been made. Some of the things that were barriers and hindrances to the faithfulness of the church at Corinth have been alleviated.

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They heard Paul's letter. They heard his instruction. He says, you abound in everything.

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In faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence. And even surprisingly, in your love for us.

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But see that you abound in this grace also. Part of that application of consecration. You see, you have all of these areas of life that you have given over to the

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Lord. Don't withhold this area either. Don't just be faithful, diligent.

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Acquiring godly knowledge. Growing in your love for us. You need to also abound in this grace also.

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Christian, you cannot rest on your sanctification laurels today. Press on.

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Let us make greater strides in our growth in godliness and Christlikeness. Let us not be satisfied.

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What happens to people when they get older? They're satisfied where they are. Let us continually grow in godliness.

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Let us continue to shine light on the dark places of our lives. That the grace and glory of Christ might be on display.

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And they too might be consecrated and turned over for service to him.

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In verse 8 he says, he's speaking here not by commandment. He's looking for a voluntary gift.

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And this seems to be a gift outside of the ordinary giving of the church. This is a sacrificial kind of gift.

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He wants to see the sincerity of your love displayed through the diligence of others who have given this way.

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And finally, my favorite part. He says, for you know the grace of our

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Lord Jesus Christ. It's so amazing whenever you're preaching very practical sections in places like 2

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Corinthians. The glory of Christ and his gospel. Paul keeps bringing it back to us.

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The second person of the Trinity. The king of glory. The agent of creation.

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The creator and sustainer of all things. The one for whom all things were made and have their end in.

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And that one made himself poor. He took on the flesh of humanity.

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He grows up in humble circumstances. He seemingly shies away from personal glory.

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Wanting in his earthly ministry prior to the cross to have God get all the glory. Everything that he does he says, essentially,

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I do it because I heard my father tell me to do it. And that's the kind of discipline he shows us as a pattern, as an example for us.

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But think about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ today. There's never been a person more rich.

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He owns all things. You know, Christ Episcopal owns this oldest church in Seminole County.

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It belongs to Christ. Every drop of dirt that we stand on is the king's land.

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It's all his. We need to live and act as if that is true.

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And the poverty of Christ, this glorious economy of God, the suffering of Christ, the humility of Christ.

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Is the exaltation of the sinner like you. You are spiritually, as one brother prayed, destitute.

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In other words, you have no reason to be here. And yet here you are, your heirs of the promises.

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Joint heirs with Christ. The riches of glory and Christ also belong to you because he has taken you to be his bride.

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Powerful testimony to the church at Corinth. You've known the grace of our

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Lord Jesus Christ. The brethren in Macedonia have known the grace of God through trials, afflictions and the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty.

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They gave riches. So should you. So today.

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I want to ask you a couple of questions. The first is, again, consecration.

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What is not consecrated to God? Do not leave this place until it is consecrated to God.

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Do not walk out of this room until you have repented and turned from all that is not glorifying to Christ.

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And second, if you've known the grace of God and you've experienced it, are you now willing to share that grace with others?

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The proclamation of the gospel. I love it when someone has a baby or sick because the ladies go and make them meals and they go and help them and do nice things for them because they love

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Christ. We don't want the affliction sometimes that comes with it. But what an opportunity and occasion.

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What about when everybody in the church had covid? There's a lot of love being shown and displayed among the brethren of our church.

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Well, time's pressing on. So let us go to the time of application. We'll close here first.

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I want you to be well acquainted with the grace of God. Remember again that those basic truths of the gospel, but dive deeper into it.

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Know it more intimately that you might have more abundant joy. Second, I want you to respond to that loving grace in Christ.

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Through an eagerness and willingness to give of yourself, your time, your talent, your treasure, eagerly give and serve.

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I was thinking the

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Black Plague in Europe. There's a great testimony of the church being the one of the only entities that would go out and help people.

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Can you imagine if we had another some kind of pandemic so -called? And everybody was saying, stay inside.

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You can't ever go out. And the people of God ran out and visited all the people who are in need.

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Powerful testimony. They're not afraid to die of diseases. They've known the grace of God.

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We need to live a more radical, obedient life in service to Christ. Consecrate yourselves entirely to God and his service.

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Whatever your vocation and calling is, consecrated entirely to his service.

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Commit yourselves entirely to his care. In the midst of the affliction of the

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Macedonians, true of the widow and her mites, they had to believe that God would care for them.

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Or for them to give sacrificially. You have to believe that God's going to care for you if you put yourself out there in vulnerable service to others and get into the messy business of the

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Christian life. You have to believe that God is going to be with you there. And finally on that line, live and act as though you believe that it is all his after all.

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And finally, let us savor for just a moment the gospel of God's grace.

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that through his poverty you might become rich.

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Maybe it's a bit too much to ask, but it seems to be scriptural. What if you just laid your life entirely down in all of your wants and all of your cares and all of your self -interest?

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And you said, in faith I'm going to allow the Lord to exalt my life. I'm not going to exalt my life anymore, myself, my self -interest.

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I'm going to lay it all down in service to Christ. Christ did it for the joy set before him.

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He has brought many sons and daughters to glory.

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What a glorious day. What a wonderful thing to think of. Have you known the grace of God in Christ Jesus?

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Do you know the forgiveness of sins? Do you know the fellowship of the saints? Then the opportunity for a very productive, beautiful, joyful, sacrificial, thankful life awaits.

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Let's pray together. Oh Lord, we thank you for your mercy and kindness.

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We know that we are a people who are prone to forget. A people prone to wander.

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People of deeply held self -interest. Lord, we operate a lot of the time from a place of insecurity and fear.

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But you have made us secure and loved and bold in Christ.

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Oh Lord, would your saints send their last dollar to a saint hurting more on the other side of the world?

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I hope it would be true, Lord, of us. Would we trust in your providential care in all of our circumstances that you would provide for us, oh

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Lord? You have provided for us before, and you have provided for us again.

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Oh Lord, we need a greater faith in this, and we know this is a work and operation of your spirit.

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So we pray today that we have a holy desire. Oh Lord, I wholly desire that your people would be entirely consecrated to your service.

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And that wouldn't just be my idea, oh Lord, but it would be their idea. Oh Holy Spirit, I pray that you do a mighty work in the hearts of your people today.

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That they would turn from their sin and their pursuit of worldly pleasures and find greater riches in Christ.

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Oh Lord, make it satisfying and joyful and a delight to them to love you and pursue you in this way.

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We ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Let's continue our worship through the presentation of tithes and offerings.

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When the young men get to the front, I'm going to ask you to stand for our time of prayer. Please stand.

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Oh what grace we've been shown, oh Lord. And we pray that we continue to use this church and her people for the rapid advance of your gospel and kingdom.

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And we pray that we would be good stewards of the lives you have entrusted us with.

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Filled with great trust in your provision and protection for us and all that we do in your name.

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We give thanks in the name of Christ. Let us give glory to God through the zealous singing of the

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Gloria Patri. Thanks to the

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Lord. It is right and a good and joyful thing that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you.

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Oh Holy Lord, Father almighty everlasting God. Because you sent your beloved son to redeem us from sin and death.

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And to make us heirs in him of everlasting life. That when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world.

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We may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven.

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We recognize that the greatest gift, the greatest blessing is yourself.

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You are our great reward. You are our great treasure.

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Lord, we thank you for the provision of these creaturely elements of bread and wine.

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That they have been consecrated for this purpose. That we might see in them experience and taste and assimilate into ourselves.

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The body and blood of Christ crucified for us. And that your people would be bound to you and one another in joyful communion.

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And that we would experience the fellowship that you intended for us to have with you and one another forevermore.

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And we ask these things in Jesus name. Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.

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Blessed and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said take, eat. This is my body.

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Likewise he took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood.

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Drink from it all of you. For as often as you eat this bread you drink this cup. You proclaim the

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Lord's death. Therefore we proclaim the faith.

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Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

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Let's approach the table now by praying together in unison. We do not presume to come to this your table.

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O merciful Lord. Trusting in our own righteousness. But in your manifold and great mercies.

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We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table.

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But you are the same Lord who always shows mercy. Grant us therefore a gracious Lord.

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So to eat the flesh of your dear son Jesus Christ. And to drink of his blood.

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That our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body. And our souls washed through his most precious blood.

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And that we may evermore dwell in him. And he in us. Amen. Christ our

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Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feasts.

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The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to the Lord. We have the privilege of feasting at the table.

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Let's make this commitment together in unison. Almighty and ever -living

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God. We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food. Of the most precious body and blood of your

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Son. Our Savior Jesus Christ. And for assuring us in these holy mysteries.

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That we are living members of the body of your Son. And heirs of your eternal kingdom.

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And oh Lord grant us this other benefit. That you will never allow us to forget these things.

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But having them imprinted on our hearts. May we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed.

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And now Father send us out to do the work you have given us to do. To love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our

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Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit. In honor and glory now and forever.

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Amen. Please stand. Now may the

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God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless.

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At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful.

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will also do it. Amen. Amen.