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:: Download the 8.2.2015 Bulletin
:: Download the 8.2.2015 Sermon Audio
image :: Job Rebuked by His Friends, William Blake (1805, English)
Preparation for Worship :: The Ninth Commandment: No False Witness
“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
“Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth… who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.” (Revelation 1:5)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Sunday August 2 include ::
:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Gloria Patri (2nd Century Hymn) CHART [bandcamp track=1717027862 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: A Mighty Fortress (Martin Luther, 1529) CHART [bandcamp track=1521952589 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Charles Wesley, 1740) CHART [bandcamp track=1026515912 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Let Us Love And Sing And Wonder (John Newton, 1774) CHART [bandcamp track=3505470677 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Gloria Patri (2nd Century Hymn) CHART [bandcamp track=3887420126 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: I Need Thee Every Hour (Annie Hawks, 1872) CHART [bandcamp track=110765075 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness (Nicolaus von Zinzendorf, 1739) CHART
Call to Worship :: Psalm 86:9-12
All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God. Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever.
Gospel Reading :: John 8:31-36
Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Declaration of Faith :: The Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 112
What is the aim of the ninth commandment? That I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone rashly or without a hearing. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the very devices the devil uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense wrath. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name.
Sermon :: Exodus 20:1-2,16
And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…”
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Prayer of Confession :: based on the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17
O LORD, our God who brought His people out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery and by Christ delivered us from sin, You have been faithful to keep all the promises of Your covenant. But we, O LORD, have been a stiff-necked people who love unfaithfulness. We have loved other gods before You and become their servants. We have not worshiped You in spirit and in truth, so we have mocked Your glory in heaven. We have used Your name in vain and profaned Your reputation on earth. We have desecrated Your Sabbath because we have not trusted You to give us rest. We have not honored our fathers and mothers, and so we have proved ourselves rebels. We have hated our neighbors and murdered them in our hearts. We have made adulterers of ourselves in the lust of our eyes or in the deeds of our flesh. We have stolen honor and wealth and privileges that are not ours. We have lied and falsely accused for we love gossip more than truth. We have coveted blessings which You wisely and righteously gave to others. O LORD, have mercy on us for we have not kept Your Law.
Words of Encouragement :: I Timothy 1:18a
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.