Call to Worship
Hear God call you to worship through His Word
“My heart is confident, God; I will sing; I will sing praises with the whole of my being. Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your faithful love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. God, be exalted above the heavens, and let your glory be over the whole earth.” (Psalm 108:1-5)
Collect for Purity
Prepare your heart for worship
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Adoration
Give praise to God
We praise you O God, that you are unchanging. From everlasting to everlasting, you remain the same God. You do not change. You are just the same as you were in the beginning. You are unchanging in your power, wisdom, justice, holiness, truth, goodness, generosity and love. You do not change in your plans as they are perfect plans, nor in your promises for they will all be kept. We praise you, that you do not change who the objects of your love are. Those whom you set your love on in eternity past, you will continue to love by calling them, justifying them, sanctifying them, and glorifying them. What joy it is for us to know that you are unchangeable, that never have you changed and never will you. What security, what confidence this gives to us because it means that you won’t change your mind about us. You won’t stop loving us. You won’t stop saving us. And we won’t be consumed by your wrath, because Jesus’ blood and righteousness is sufficient for us to enter heaven and always will be.
Amen.
Reading of the Law
Hear the Law of God
“Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not give false testimony against your neighbour.” (Exodus 20:1-2, 16)
Confession of Sins
Confess your sins to God1
Word of God Incarnate: you came to this world to accomplish salvation. By your grace, you call me to repent, to be crucified with you, and to be raised as a new creation. But I confess that often I do not live as a renewed person! I “go with the flow” instead of stemming the tide of sin. I allow the fruit of the Spirit to be choked out by the weeds of evil. Forgive me, for Jesus’ sake. And help me show evidence every day of your kingdom’s reign in my heart.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Receive these words of comfort
“For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
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
Give glory to God
Give to the Father praise, give glory to the Son, and to the Spirit of His grace be equal honour done.
Amen.
Prayer of Intercession
Seek God's grace as you make your requests to God
Personal
Thank you, merciful God, that a day is coming when this present age will be over, and our present struggle to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives will be over. As we wait for Jesus to appear, grant to us the grace we need, and the power of the Holy Spirit to be self-controlled. To keep on resisting the temptation to sin, even when it feels like we’ve reached our limits. Give us the strength we need to keep saying “No” to our sinful desires and to grow in our heart a godly self-restraint, so that our impulsive reactions to situations and events are how you would want them to be.
Amen.
Church
We are aware our God, that your Word tells us that before Christ returns, the pressure and persecution your people will face will increase. We therefore, pray that as a local church we will be prepared for this to happen to us. Help us to trust that Jesus is such a glorious Saviour and Lord that He is able to take care of us whatever trials come our way. Reassure us of the promise He made that He will never leave us or forsake us and that He will be with us to the very end of the age. Give us ears to hear the encouragements your Word gives that we are treasured by you, that our prayers are heard, and your grace is sufficient for us in our weakness. Would this enable us to persevere in the faith and to love not curse those who seek to cause us harm.
Amen.
Elders
Lord, we ask that you would help our pastors and elders to be disciplined in their studying of the Bible, so that they would be students before they are teachers in the church. Help them to grow in their ability to take their knowledge of the Scriptures and apply it to the church for her edification and growth. Lord, we want to profit by listening to their teaching, so we ask that you would also grow their ability to hold people’s attention and to apply God’s truth in an interesting and engaging manner.
Amen.
Church Members
We pray for [member/s] that they would become more like Jesus everyday as they grow in their love of God and hatred of sin. Increase their humility, wisdom, compassion, and courage. Help them to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and leading. Give them opportunities to serve your people and open doors to share the gospel. 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
Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command or example in the holy scriptures, or certain consequence from them to baptize such.
Prayer of Illumination
Ask God to give you understanding as you read His Word2
Living God, help us so to hear your holy Word that we may truly understand; that, understanding, we may believe and believing, we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience, seeking your honour and glory in all that we do; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Scripture Reading
Read today's passage from The Big Read Bible reading plan and pray in response
Read Galatians 6:6-10
Benediction
Receive this blessing from the Lord for the day ahead3
Now may the Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep, who calls you by name, who never abandons His flock or allows His sheep to perish, preserve you in all the attacks of the enemy, hold you steady in all your sorrows, and keep you faithful in all your temptations.
Amen.
Daily Liturgy
Ulrich Zwingli
Taken from Grace Be With You by Dale Ralph Davis