Call to Worship
Hear God call you to worship through His Word
“I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)
Adoration
Give praise to God
Receive our praise O God, for you are great. No-one and nothing in heaven or on earth can do the deeds and mighty works that you do. You are God Almighty. We bless your glorious Name. We say, “How great is your goodness.” You are good and you do good. You are good to all you have made. You cause the sun to rise and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Every good and perfect gift comes from you.
Yet in a special way you have been good to us by revealing in your Son that you are a gracious and merciful God, and by saving us from the wrath that was coming to us because of our sin.
May your goodness pass before us, we pray, so that we might taste and see that you, our Lord, really and truly are good.
Amen.
Reading of the Law
Hear the Law of God
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven… Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:20, 48)
Confession of Sins
Confess your sins to God1
Lord God Almighty, you graciously and generously fill our lives with many wonderful things. You bless us with friends, family, and wealth that most people in this world can’t even imagine.
We confess today that we are prone to love your good gifts far more than we love you. We covet and long for things that you haven’t given us, or we are filled with fearful anxiety if we think that you might take away the things or people that we have come to love so much.
Father, thank you for your deep and endless mercy to rebels like us. Thank you, Jesus, for enduring for us the full fury of your Father’s just hatred for sin, and for paying the price for every single idolatrous thought, sinful act, and moment of unbelief we would engage in. Holy Spirit, help us to see our many idols, and incline our stubborn hearts to repent. Open our blind eyes to see the Lamb of God lifted up for us, so that his redeeming blood could cleanse us.
Thank you for the certain hope that one day we will join with the thousands upon thousands of the redeemed, falling down before the throne and saying together, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive blessing and honour and glory forever.”
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Receive these words of comfort
“Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him.” (Colossians 1:21-22)
The Creed
Confess what you believe about the Christian faith
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and 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.
Doxology
Respond in praise to God
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him all creatures here below; Praise him above you heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Prayer of Intercession
Seek God's grace as you make your requests to God
Personal
It is good Lord, that you have put in place authority for different areas of our life.
Help us we pray, to give proper respect to them and submit to them. To honour our fathers and mothers by treating them with what they are due. To pray for our government and civil authorities and submit to their laws. To be good workers for our employers. And to make the service our elders do in keeping watch over us a joy and not a burden.
Help us not to envy those who have been given authority, and to be content with the lot you have given to us.
Amen.
Church
Lord Jesus, as our good and great shepherd, you lead us to green pastures, beside quiet waters, and along paths of righteousness as we obey your Word. And for a local church this will mean practicing all the one another commands.
So, help us as members of this church to love one another, to be at peace with one another, to build one another up in the faith, to be of the same mind toward one another, to use our gifts to serve one another, to be devoted to one another, to admonish one another, to be kind and forgiving to one another, to submit to one another, to accept one another, to be patient with one another, and to care for one another.
We pray that as a church we would look after each other well.
Amen.
We praise you our God, that one day the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. We thank you that this happening as people from all nations, repent and believe the good news about Jesus Christ, the great Saviour of sinners. But this will only continue, if local churches make disciples of all nations, not just their nation or their community.
We thank you that one way this local church can be involved in making disciples beyond our neighbourhood is by partnering with other local churches. We are so grateful for the partnership we have and through this to be involved in disciple-making elsewhere.
And Lord, if it is your will, would you open the door to partner with another local church beyond our nation.
Amen.
Elders
We pray that the lives of our pastors and elders would be disciplined and orderly rather than scattered and disorganised. For them to be responsible, completing all their tasks and finishing what they begin.
Help them to practice prudence, recognising and applying biblical principles when making decisions, and to display a sanctified common sense.
Amen.
Church Members
We pray for [member] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. We pray that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened so that they may know what is the hope of their calling, what is the wealth of their glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward them who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.
Amen.
O God, Save your people, bless your possession, shepherd them, and carry them forever.
Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen.
Catechism
Receive this instruction from the church
How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us?
First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in his Word, asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word.
Prayer of Illumination
Ask God to give you understanding as you read His Word
Your Word is more desirable than gold - than an abundance of pure gold. It is sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the LORD’s instruction.
So Father, we pray, that the Spirit of God, will use the Word of God, to reveal the Son of God, for your glory and our good.
Amen.
Scripture Reading
Read today's passage from The Big Read Bible reading plan and pray in response
Read Daniel 3
Benediction
Receive this blessing from the Lord for the day ahead
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Daily Playlist
Give to our God Immortal Praise | O Great God | Psalm 42 | There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Adapted from Prone to Wander by Barbara Duguid & Wayne Houk